The Silver Trio
by DZ2
Summary: The Dark Trio Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness! Dark Ruthless Trio; Eventual Dark Harmony; Eventual Dark Ron/Daphne; AD/MW/PW Bashing; OOC Trio; OOC Characters;
1. How It All Began

The Silver Trio: A Harry Potter Fan Fiction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters; all rights belong to JK Rowling; I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter.

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Challenge Information: ****DZ2's 'The Dark Trio' Challenge: ****For reasons that friends and family can't figure out, when Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger all went to Hogwarts, they went there with one purpose: to **_**seriously**_** rock the boat. United they stand, divided? Ha, good luck!**

**Rules: **Grey/Dark or Dark Golden Trio _**Dark**_

Non-Gryffindor Trio

Harry knows the truth about his parents' death, but he doesn't care for being the BWL

Ron wishes to make his own name and knows how to do it: with power!

Hermione seeks to prove that Muggle-borns _can_ have knowledge and power as well as others

When Harry meets Tom in his first year, he pledges their loyalty to him

The Trio befriend Draco and his clique

Severus doesn't see Harry as James 2.0

Though they _are_ equals, Ron and Hermione see Harry as leader

**Guidelines: **The trio's loyalty to Tom is a double-edged sword/they seek to trap/trick him into serving _them_

The Trio recruit others to their cause _**Accepted**_

Sirius and Remus join the cause _**Eventually**_

Lucius, Severus or some other dark force offers Harry sanctuary and a place to train _**Accepted**_

Tom makes Harry his heir (so they _don't_ have to trick him) _**Accepted**_

A prophecy – _not_ from Trelawney – tells of the conquest of the Dark Trio

All Pairings are welcome EXCEPT Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione

Slash

Harmony _**Accepted**_

Harry discovers his destiny as Master of Death _**Accepted**_

Ron and Draco help redeem the Black Family name _**Accepted**_

**Forbidden: **Light or Neutral Trio

Gryffindor Trio

Dumbledore-trusting Trio

Harry and Tom as enemies

Severus Bashing

Draco Bashing

**Other than that, it's up to you**

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/TBC

**Other Pairings: **TBC

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

Chapter 1: How It All Began

As Harry Potter sat on the Hogwarts Express, a part of him feeling sorry for anyone that decided to come calling, hoping to see the Boy-Who-Lived, he felt like his world had taken a turn for the better.

After leaving the Dursleys behind and making sure that no-one could follow him or try to stop him, he had returned to Diagon Alley and studied long and hard, learning all that he could freely without needing to be disturbed by the Dursleys or insulted by their narrow-mindedness.

Thanks to a privilege from Tom the barman that Harry was _sure_ came from the fact that he was their hero, if Harry went anywhere, the elderly gentleman looked the other way, which made it easy for Harry to do some exploring and start to grow stronger not only magically, but physically too, all the while doing his best to rid himself of the humiliating signs that…that _Muggles_ had done this much damage to him!

Every now and again, Harry had gone into the Alley to look up some more on magic while also keeping clear of everyone that saw him as the so-called Boy-Who-Lived. He didn't care much for a title and, over time, he'd come to hate it and anyone that wanted anything to do with that title: what sort of selfish moron wanted to be famous, rich and independent because his parents were dead?

Now, with September First here and thanks to some additional information from Tom the barman, Harry had easily slipped through onto Platform Nine-And-Three-Quarters and found an empty compartment.

Now, he was sitting and waiting for the start of the new term, a part of him still hoping that someone/anyone wouldn't see the Boy-Who-Lived.

If they did, they'd be in for one Merlin of a surprise…

_**The Silver Trio**_

Hermione Granger couldn't believe how far behind the times the world of magic was;

Ever since she was introduced to the world by Professor Minerva McGonagall, Hermione had felt like she was looking at something out of the Dark Ages. People dressed awkwardly, even in the Muggle side of the world, they wrote with quills and inks that seemed to either blotch their parchments or stain too long, they chose to speak of things that Muggles wouldn't understand and they didn't even think that members of the Muggle world were dangerous.

On top of that, they knew very little of Muggle advancements and had no concept of electricity or other such Muggle devices and, when Hermione had been in the bookstore in Diagon Alley, she overheard some shrewd, thick-set-looking person refer to her as a Mudblood. A word in McGonagall's ear taught Hermione what that word meant and the fact that magical people chose to humiliate Muggle-born students made Hermione feel even more disgusted.

Throughout the remainder of her time in the run-up to September First, Hermione had read everything she could and, doing what little she could do with her wand, she had tried to practise her spells so that, when she went to Hogwarts, she would be able to silence everyone who called her such names.

She wasn't going to let a whole other world stop her from being one of the brightest of her age, especially not when the rumours she'd read in her books and heard from those in the magical world told her of another Muggle-born who had made a name for herself and was now known to almost every witch and wizard in Great Britain.

Her name?

Lily Potter.

_**The Silver Trio**_

"Now boys, you be good: I don't want to be called to the school because you've blown up a toilet or something!"

Ron Weasley tried not to show a hint of disbelief or rage as, once again, his overbearing Mother made the rest of their family feel like idiots and, even worse, some members of his family actually let this happen.

For as long as he could remember, the sixth son of the Weasley Family had always been overshadowed by his brothers' successes, but also by the fact that people continuously called them blood-traitors and made the name Weasley feel like a swear word.

Bill had the right idea when he'd retreated on the Gringotts Internship Program to become a curse-breaker with their Egyptian Divisions while Charlie, having recently graduated, took up the offer of apprenticeship with the masters in Romania to become a Dragon Master. After their departures, the ideas of the family went from thumbs up to one finger to the world.

Percy, the demented, vainglorious idiot that he was, only had desires to polish badges and kiss the asses of those in power; Fred and George weren't really focusing on a future, but their fun-loving sides and the support they showed made them good in Ron's books.

Maybe not supportive if they knew what he was planning, but at the same time, they caused chaos and made things difficult for those who stood in their way to get one over on their loud-mouthed Mother.

As for Ginny, who was coming up in a year's time, she was only focused on one thing because of Madam Overbearing: becoming Mrs Harry Potter.

_That_ was a sick-and-twisted thought if Ron ever knew one, so, as he boarded the train, leaving the family behind and straightening yet _another _bloody crease out of his hand-me-down clothes, the red-head made himself a promise.

He was going to break tradition and rub some dirt in the eyes of Molly Weasley.

She may want an obedient, Light-worshipping son, but she had no idea what was really going to come out of Hogwarts.

Moving towards the back end of the train, Ron stopped as he found a compartment with only one occupant: a dark-haired, green-eyed individual that had his head in a journal of some sort. The boy had an owl that looked beautiful next to him and, as the boy noticed him standing there, Ron's eyes widened as he caught a glimmer of a certain scar poking out from under the fringe.

In another lifetime, Ron might have found himself jabbering on like some brain-dead idiot because he had found the Boy-Who-Lived, but there was something in the green-eyed glare of this young wizard that said _that_ would be a big mistake indeed.

"Can I help you?" asked the boy.

"Sorry to disturb you," replied Ron, indicating the empty seat as he asked, "Would you mind if I sat there? I'd like to avoid the rush down the train."

"Of course," nodded the boy, before he held out a hand and added, "Harry."

"Ron," replied Ron, shaking the hand while he placed his things in the compartment; as he sat down, Ron looked around warily before he lowered his voice as he asked, "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

"If you're a Boy-Who-Lived worshipper like the rest of these idiots, kindly bugger off," growled Harry and, as he did, Ron heard a tone that was more like the sound of his thoughts.

Someone who wanted to break tradition, throw a wrench into someone's plans and end the clichés. On top of that, Ron thought to himself on how his thoughts on Harry being the Boy-Who-Lived and how calling him such would be a big mistake were proven to be true.

"I'm not," Ron answered softly, before he looked to the window as he added, "But you might want to hide your scar better: it's like you're screaming that you're him."

"Thanks," nodded Harry, "I'll remember that: so, Ron, where do you want to go?"

"Slytherin or Ravenclaw," answered Ron, knowing the very thing that would frighten his family the most, "Anywhere's better than Gryffindor."

"I agree," Harry smirked, looking over the top of his book before he added, "That's why I'm aiming for Slytherin too: because I want Hogwarts to see that the stupid title your world gave to me is nothing more than words."

"Yikes," Ron whispered, his voice low, but edged by amusement as he asked, "You want to go against what they say?"

"I don't care what they're going to say," Harry drawled, "All I care about is making my own name and, if that's as a _Dark Wizard,_ then so be it."

He made air-quotes with his fingers as he said dark wizard, though Ron thought he saw the faintest hint of a smile cross Harry's face as he said it.

"There is no good and evil," a new voice remarked, directing the boys' attention to the door where a dark-haired girl was standing, her eyes filled with a sense of calm understanding as she told them, "Magic is what the caster wills it to be. It has nothing to do with blood or skill, right?"

"Right," Harry smirked, indicating the seat next to him, "Join us?"

The girl thanked them before she sat down and, offering her hand to Ron and Harry, both of whom shook it, she added, "Sorry for eavesdropping, but I heard you say Slytherin and…well, I thought I could help you there. Oh, I'm sorry: I'm Hermione Granger and, scary as it's going to be for these bigoted purists, I want to be a Slytherin too."

"Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter," added Harry, earning a look from Hermione before he asked, "So why do you want to scare them, Miss Granger?"

"Because I'm Muggle-born," answered Hermione, earning a raised eyebrow from Ron and an amused scoff from Harry as she added, "I want to show them that, at the end of the day, even magic users like us deserve respect…even if I have to use unorthodox tactics to get it."

Again, Harry sniggered before he put his book down and, looking to the two in his compartment, he smirked as he told them, "Do you know something? I think that this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

The other two just nodded as Harry leaned back in his seat, his eyes returning to his book while the other two enjoyed the scenery around them…

_**The Silver Trio**_

Throughout the entire journey from King's Cross to Hogwarts, not much was said between the three young wizards, though they all knew that things would be said if they managed to get their wishes. Instead of speech, the trio indulged themselves with reading from books that they owned – in Harry and Hermione's case – as well as private contemplation – in Ron's case – as they all knew that there would be challenges ahead with their desires.

At the same time, both Ron and Hermione looked over at Harry as the train rolled on through the English countryside: here was a boy that, in their world, was famous for surviving the impossible and yet, to look at him, you'd be forgiven – probably – for thinking that you were looking not at a hero, but an anti-hero.

Harry's demeanour was unusually cold for a hero, or so Hermione thought, but at the same time, it was like she could understand him: after all, who would want to be famous for losing their only family to the impossible?

As for Ron, he looked at Harry and, rather than see the idol his sister would…blech…want to marry, he instead saw a warrior and a hardened soul whom, for someone of only eleven years old, looked like he had gone through enough wars to last him a lifetime.

His desire to be a Slytherin had actually surprised Ron, but he did his best to conceal that as he saw that Harry was a bit badass and, at the same time, he was willing to take no prisoners and, from the book he was reading – though neither Ron or Hermione admitted that they'd never heard of such a book – it was clear that Harry wanted what the world said he had: power!

He wanted power and respect, but only so far that he was someone who people saw not as a figurehead, but, dare Ron think it, a leader of the pack.

One that said jump and others asked how high.

For Ron, this wasn't a hero, but someone that you didn't want to cross and seemed to take things as they came, though he also had an air about him that seemed to pull Ron in, a part of the red-head just _knowing_ that this was, as Harry had said, the start of a friendship.

Beautiful?

Maybe.

In any case, both Ron and Hermione knew that their friendship would always centre on the dark-haired, green-eyed figure sat with them and, at that moment, neither of the three students suspected that they had just set themselves on a path.

One that would rock boats, change opinions and throw a wrench into so many plans that it would be impossible to guess what was going to happen next.

_**The Silver Trio**_

Finally, as the sun was beginning to set, the Hogwarts Express reached the station and, one by one, the students began to disembark from the train, some of them making their way to a group of carriages while others, each of whom were first-years, were called over by a giant of a man.

"Rubeus Hagrid," whispered Harry, walking off the train with his two new friends in tow, "The man that showed me our world and then tried to leave me out of it again. Word of advice, you two: guy can't keep a secret to save his life."

"My brother Charlie used to talk about him," Ron replied as they followed Hagrid along a narrow path towards a deep-looking lake; along the route, Harry and the rest of the first-years were given their first real looking at Hogwarts School, though over the awe that he felt, Harry listened as Ron continued. "Sorry, lost myself for a moment, there: anyway, according to Charlie, Hagrid was expelled sometime in his Hogwarts life, but Dumbledore kept him on and helped him become gamekeeper."

"Seems nice enough," Hermione remarked, earning a nod from Harry before she added, "Still, I mean they send a gamekeeper for you, Harry, but a Muggle born student like me gets Professor McGonagall. Do you think…"

"Someone was looking to kill two birds with one stone," Harry replied, earning a nod in response from Hermione as he added, "Yeah I do: come on, let's get to a boat."

On the edge of the lake, there were indeed a small fleet of boats, each of which seated up to four people; when Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed into their boat, they were joined by a rather quiet, timid-looking boy with dark hair and blue eyes. When Hermione offered him a kind hello, the boy ducked his head and mumbled so quietly that they couldn't hear him.

Almost immediately, Harry ignored him, a part of him wondering what sort of system would allow someone like this to attend a school for courageous, powerful people like them.

On the other side of the lake, Harry led the other two out before he followed Hagrid up the stairs to where a stern-faced witch that Hermione identified as Professor McGonagall gave them a pretty well-rehearsed speech before she left them alone.

"Well _that_ makes sense," muttered Hermione, earning looks from her two friends as she explained, "She expects us to wait quietly and patiently when we have no idea what's about to happen. And what was all that about our house being like our family? Does that mean there'll be those we'd rather avoid as well as welcome into our circle?"

For reasons she didn't know yet, Hermione's remark earned a snigger from Harry before he told her, "Just go with the flow, Hermione: it's all anybody can do no matter what claptrap they give to us. Besides, if a house _is_ going to be like our family, then I think I'll go and put my bed in the Owlery: it might be messy, but at least it's quiet."

At this, Hermione and Ron both laughed as Harry shifted his shoulders before he ran a hand through his dark hair, which also meant that his scar was seen by all who could see him.

"Well, well, well," a drawling voice cut them off before Ron could warn Harry that he was showing his infamous marking: turning to the source of the voice, the trio saw a blonde-haired boy with grey eyes and who was flanked by two of his own large boys approach them, a sneer playing on his face as he looked at Ron.

For reasons Harry would soon learn, Ron just sneered back before the boy asked, "So it's true then? I heard a rumour from Father about it, but I would never have guessed it: Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Whispers started up while Harry, looking to Ron and Hermione, gave a rueful shrug before he told them, "It was inevitable."

"This is Crabbe," explained the blonde boy, indicating one of the two hulking behemoths behind him, "And Goyle: and I'm Malfoy…Draco Malfoy."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr Bond…I mean, Mr Malfoy," Harry replied calmly, earning a snigger from Hermione while Ron had just smirked as he saw confusion settle in on Draco's face.

"You think my name's a joke, do you?" Malfoy asked, directing his words at Ron and Hermione before, returning his attention to Ron, he then added, "I'm sure I don't need to guess _yours:_ red hair, a hand-me-down robe and a desire to be with your betters? You must be a _Weasley!_ As for you…"

He looked at Hermione with an air of seeing something unclean; it was a look that Harry didn't like as he stepped between the two as he asked, "Is there a point to your tirade, Double O Dear Me?"

With another stunned expression, Malfoy seemed to compose himself as he told Harry, "You'll soon find out that some Wizarding families are better than others, Potter: you don't want to go making friends with the _wrong sort._"

Again, he glared at Ron as he said this, but Harry had stopped listening when Malfoy had started treating this like some 1930s soiree: even though it wasn't obvious from his choice of words, Harry knew that Malfoy only wanted the Boy-Who-Lived.

He wasn't worth Harry's time.

"I can help you there," Draco then added, extending a hand to Harry, who, with a look past Draco, saw Professor McGonagall returning, her eyes on the students before her.

Directing his words at Draco directly, Harry smirked before he told the blonde, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks…and right now, it's anyone that wants the Boy-Who-Lived and _not_ Harry himself."

With that, Harry moved away from Draco just as Professor McGonagall reached them, her eyes on the students, but especially on the trio as she then led them into a majestic and warm banquet hall. Four tables were set around the room with a fifth at the top end where the teachers were seated.

As they walked towards this fifth table, Ron nudged Harry's arm before he whispered, "Way to stick it to Malfoy there, Harry: I know I can't really talk, but anyone that wants you for…well, for _that_ name isn't worth your time."

"Tell me something I don't know," replied Harry, earning a smile from his two friends as he then added, "Besides, if I know his sort, he'll either try again once we're sorted or he'll use this as a means to _think_ that he can make our lives at Hogwarts a living nightmare."

"What are _you_ going to do?" asked Hermione, earning a sinister-sounding chuckle from Harry as he looked at her with a wink.

"Nothing at all, Hermione," replied Harry, earning a look from Hermione that had him surprised as he asked her, "What? Don't you believe me?"

"Just…don't get caught," Hermione told him, earning herself a nod of understanding from Harry as they returned their attention to the front; following an interesting, if not long-winded song from an old hat that was identified as the Sorting Hat, Professor McGonagall began to read out the names.

When Crabbe, one of Malfoy's cronies, was called up, he was just as surprised as everyone else when the sorting hat sent him to Gryffindor, much to Harry's amusement.

The next one of the _other_ trio to be called up was Goyle – who went shortly before Hermione – and, when the hat touched his head, it sent him to Hufflepuff, which earned a frightened look from Draco as he looked to where Harry was smiling confidently.

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Hermione's POV**_

When Hermione was called up, she sat under the hat and waited, but not for long as the voice of the hat spoke to her, "My, my, my: what an enigma you are, Miss Granger. Not many Muggle born students would _want_ Slytherin…but you seek to teach them a lesson: this intrigues me…so, perhaps, the time has come for a change, but are you sure?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, her hands clenched together as the hat made its choice…

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Normal POV**_

"SLYTHERIN!"

'One down,' thought Harry, watching as Daphne Greengrass was also sent to Slytherin; not long after them, the shy boy, Neville Longbottom, was called up and, to Harry's surprise, he was sent to Gryffindor, though he moved away so quickly that he had to return the hat for the sorting to continue.

Out of all the sorting decisions that Harry saw that day, he had to agree that Malfoy's was the quickest: when his name was called, the hat barely touched Malfoy's head before it sent him to Slytherin, much to the blonde's amusement as he looked to Harry and Ron.

Neither of who looked any less impressed or intimidated by him.

Following Malfoy, there were a few sorting choices made: Lisa Moon went to Ravenclaw; Theo Nott went to Slytherin, as did Pansy Parkinson: Parvati Patil went to Gryffindor while her sister Padma was sent to Ravenclaw. Then Sally-Anne Perks was sent to Hufflepuff before, at long last, Harry's name was called out.

As the green-eyed boy approached the old hat, he was aware of an elderly man on the fifth table lean forwards expectantly while, down the table, Harry actually saw a dark-haired, hook-nosed teacher watching him with eyes of disbelief.

Taking a seat under the hat, Harry closed his eyes, as though he was blocking out the curious glances and looks, before he heard a voice whispering to him.

"Hm, interesting…interestingly difficult, to say the least: you have plenty of courage, Mr Potter, and not a bad mind either. There's talent and spirit, oh yes, but there's a thirst…to prove yourself: to stand above your title and become lord and master of your own destiny. You seem to hold no fear over telling it like it is and also have your allies at your back already…oh, how you remind me of another I sorted…but where to put you."

Harry actually seemed to grip the edges of the hat as he whispered back, "Slytherin…send me to Slytherin…"

"Slytherin, is it?" asked the hat, his voice now like an amused chuckle in Harry's ear as he added, "Yes, I see it: you can be great, you know: it's all here in your head…and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. With your allies at your back and your destiny at your feet, the great things you could do…oh, Mr Potter, I look forwards to seeing you flourish…so, enjoy…SLYTHERIN!"

Several things happened at once as the hat made its decision: the Gryffindor students suddenly looked scared while, over on the Slytherin Table, Hermione was one of the few applauding Harry as he joined her, though at the same time, Harry saw Malfoy looking amused and curious. On the High Table, the hook-nosed professor just sighed while the old man looked frightened as did Professor McGonagall, who watched as Harry walked to the Snake's table without a second glance.

"Two down," Hermione whispered, watching as the sorting continued, though a few heads were still turned in Harry's direction as Zacharias Smith was sent to Hufflepuff followed by Dean Thomas, who went to Gryffindor, and Lisa Turpin, who went to Ravenclaw.

Finally, it was Ron's turn and, on the Slytherin Table, Harry actually saw Hermione cross her fingers while Harry just watched, seeing only confidence and strength fill his friend as he sat underneath the hat.

'Come on,' Harry thought to himself, 'Do it…give it to him…you know it's right…'

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Ron's POV**_

"HA!" Cried the hat as soon as Ron was underneath its brim, "Another Weasley…I know just what to do with…"

"Sort me into Gryffindor and I'll tear you apart with my bare hands!" hissed Ron in a low voice, his hands gripping the stool as he insisted, "You know where I want…where I _choose_ to be…so put me there!"

The hat gave a chuckle before he spoke to Ron, "Mr Weasley, if you think I was about to do that, then you're wrong: like I said, I know just what to do with such a determined individual whom has already chosen his liege-lord and leader of the pack. Have fun…I know I will…"

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Normal POV**_

"SLYTHERIN!"

Over on the Gryffindor Table, two identical-looking red-heads feigned a fainting while a third looked like he'd just swallowed live scorpions; at the same time, Harry then noticed Malfoy watching with a disbelieving expression on his face as the red-headed student made his way to where Harry and Hermione were seated.

As Ron sat down, Blaise Zabini was also sent to Slytherin, thus ending the Sorting.

Though, as Harry watched the old man on the staff table get to his feet, he knew that this was only just the beginning for him and his friends.

'Today is the first day of the rest of my life,' thought the young Slytherin, watching as the feast began as did the adventures.

**And there we go then: Chapter 1 and the Trio get their wish, but how will this affect the plans and ideals of certain others?**

**Also, what could have changed Harry so much that he doesn't care not only for the BWL title, but also for the future that the Sorting Hat says he has?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: The Trio get a welcome from the Slytherins, but not before Harry deals some justice of his own; also, Professor Snape speaks with Harry while Draco speaks with Ron and Hermione is introduced to the real Harry Potter as their lessons and year begins;**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Neville**_

**Okay, so for those who'll wonder if I'm purposely hating Neville, I'm not: he'll change his tune in due time and it'll be thanks to our anti-heroes, so just be patient;**

_**AN2: Ron pairing**_

**Also, any ideas for whom I should pair Ron with are welcome, but for those who'll suggest it – and you know who you are – let me remind you that I don't do three-ways, harems and I don't really think this Ron is a slash fan, so…be reasonable;**


	2. The Power of Three

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/TBC

**Other Pairings: **TBC

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**EndlessChains: Interesting opinions and I'm glad you're enjoying the story;**

**Guest: There will be allies of our anti-heroes, but I'm undecided about McGonagall just yet;**

**Theresnomeaning: Tonks was an interesting angle, but I found more common options: thanks anyway;**

**Sugarbabies: I don't know about evil, but certainly ruthless;**

**DragonTamer01: No bet;**

**Daithi4377: Yeah I know of the story you mean: it was 'Knowledge is Power' by robst and it is an amazing read;**

**ALSO: Thanks to everyone for the number of reviews in such a short space of time: I hope you all enjoy what's coming and enjoy how I portray our Dark Heroes;**

_Though, as Harry watched the old man on the staff table get to his feet, he knew that this was only just the beginning for him and his friends._

'_Today is the first day of the rest of my life,' thought the young Slytherin, watching as the feast began as did the adventures._

Chapter 2: The Power of Three

As the feast came to a close and the staff and students felt the influences of sleep start to creep up on them, Harry, Ron and Hermione all watched from the Slytherin Table as Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, rose from his golden throne and, facing the hall, he addressed them.

"And now before we all become enveloped in the arms of Morpheus, I have a few last-minute start-of-term notices to give out: the first-years please note that the Dark Forest, known to most of you as the Forbidden Forest, is off limits…though I would also ask that some of our older students remember that fact."

"He means my brothers," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, looking over to where the identical-looking red-heads that Harry had noticed earlier were now sporting mischievous looks in their eyes.

"Also, our caretaker, Mr Filch," Dumbledore went on, "Has asked me to remind you that no magic is to be cast between classes and in the corridors."

"Talk about a stupid rule," Hermione remarked, earning a smirk from Harry as she went on, "How are we supposed to protect ourselves if we're not prepared for the unexpected and the sudden?"

"And finally," Dumbledore continued, oblivious to the thoughts of the three young wizards, "It is my solemn duty to inform you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds…to anyone who does not wish to die a most-painful death."

"No," growled Harry sarcastically, rising with the rest of the Slytherins as the headmaster said his goodnights, "Because it'd be too _obvious_ that no curious-minded student would be chomping at the bit wanting to know what's so scary about a forbidden corridor. Honestly, _that's_ the great man that Hagrid kept badgering on about? I've seen wiser people in Muggle Headmasters."

Hermione smiled at the reference as Harry walked with his new dorm-mates out of the Great Hall and down to the Slytherin Dormitory, his two new friends at his heels. Unlike the rest of the school, who went up and around the Grand Staircase to their respective areas of the school, the Slytherins were taken _downstairs_ and into the dungeons, their steps leading them along a corridor towards what looked like a blank stone wall, though this wall _was_ opposite a mosaic of a snake pit.

"This is the entrance to the Slytherin Dormitory," explained Marcus Flint, a burly-looking fifth year that seemed to loom over everyone with his height and strength, "The password will be changed on the first day of every second month, so be wary of the change and do not try to embarrass our House by forgetting it."

His gaze seemed to linger on Harry, Ron and Hermione as he said this, but Harry noticed that both of his friends shared the same reaction as him: none.

With the first password given, Flint led the Slytherins into a Common Room that looked both lavish and daunting to those unused to such surroundings: black-leather chairs and sofas were set around a table and fireplace while two long tunnels led off the Common Room. Up one side, Harry noticed a small annexe that was, undoubtedly, used for studies and private researching moments for the Slytherins: as the other students vanished to their dorms, the first-years gathered with Flint, each of them listening as he stood before them.

"Welcome to the Slytherin Common Room," Flint remarked, his eyes searching the gaze and faces of each student in the room, "In here, you are to keep any and all conflicts between the House of Slytherin, but out there, we show a united front. In here, your hatreds and rivalries are dealt with either through private moments or, if you _must_ do so, then you may access the area of our Common Room known as the Pit, but you may only do so with the authority and permissions of a Prefect or Professor Severus Snape: now, we expect _all_ students to be ready for the morning meal at no later than 8:15, so do not be late. Trust me: you will not like it if you are."

Here, he looked again at the trio before he continued, "Also, to our new female students, a word of advice: here in Slytherin, we encourage the co-ed system of dorms and allow members of both genders access to the dorms at all times. This is not meant as a threat or a slight on yourselves, but a chance to show that our House lets…_almost_ nothing divide us. So, you'll find boys' dormitories down the left tunnel; girls, you're down the right-hand side: good-night, Slytherins and welcome to the first day of the rest of your lives."

With that, he left the Slytherins alone, each of them looking to one another before the girls made their way down towards their dorm; as Harry, Ron and Hermione watched, the boys – unsurprisingly led by Draco Malfoy – made their way to their own dorms, leaving the trio alone in the Common Room.

Green eyes met blue eyes, which also met brown eyes before, as one, the trio told each other, "Be careful…"

Sharing a small laugh, the trio made their way down to their respective dorms: to Harry's surprise, when he reached his dorm, he saw that the others had been paired-up, which gave the emerald-eyed Slytherin his own dormitory. As for the others, Blaise Zabini was sharing a dorm with Theo Nott, which also meant – to the amusement of the two males of the trio – that Draco Malfoy was sharing his dorm…with Ron!

"Try not to kill him," Harry muttered, earning a snigger from his friend as Ron disappeared into his own dorm; at the same time, Harry opened the door to his dorm and, stepping inside, he was actually even more surprised when he found the place set-up like some sort of master bedroom. A four-poster bed set up in one corner while a large black-wood armoire was set against the other wall: a door in-between these two points led to a private bathroom and, as Harry looked around, he then noticed a note pinned to the back of his door.

Tearing the note down, Harry noticed a carefully-handled style of writing that was rather loopy, but still formal;

_Due to your…unique situation, I have been asked by the Headmaster to provide you with your own room._

_Do not think of this as a privilege you can abuse, Potter; even I cannot protect you from the inevitable._

_On another note: be at my office tomorrow at 1pm for your induction meeting._

_Do not be late._

_Professor Severus Snape_

"I think someone's trying to intimidate me," Harry muttered to no-one in particular, his hand scrunching up the letter before he changed into his nightclothes and, dousing the lamp, he called it a night.

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Ron's POV**_

"I can't believe I have to spend the next seven years with a _blood traitor! _I'd sooner have the Mudblood here than you."

"Nice to know you care so much, Malfoy," Ron argued, setting his things aside as he changed into his own nightclothes; across the room from him, Draco Malfoy huffed before he too got changed. While they changed, Ron then sniggered as he added, "Besides, I think it's obvious to anyone with half a brain that there are those in Slytherin who are worse-off than you, dorm-wise, anyway. So let's make a deal: you stay out of the way of Harry, Hermione and I and we'll do the same."

"Slytherins stand together, Weasley," Draco argued, earning a snigger from Ron as he added, "So you know as well as I do that Potter will be accepted in time, but…traitors and scum of the earth like you and Granger are the black sheep."

"Tell that to Harry," Ron reasoned, a part of him not liking how his friends were being targeted because they were different: once again, Ron felt the thought from the train about Harry and how he'd hate being called the Boy-Who-Lived rearing its head. If Malfoy was right about his acceptance, then Ron didn't need to be a Seer to know that they'd only do that so they could grease the palm of their _Saviour_ and find out what they could to share that info with those who'd want to hurt or destroy him.

As Harry's friend, Ron was determined to make sure that _didn't_ happen.

"You'll see, Weasley," Draco then told him, cutting off Ron's train of thought as he climbed into bed and called it a night.

'Not before you,' Ron thought to himself as he followed suit.

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Hermione's POV**_

Hermione had once seen a scene in a film where people stood at all points on the screen with an eerie whistling tune played on a harmonica, none of the people daring to make a move as the wind blew tumbleweeds across the floor.

That was almost exactly how she felt standing here now with her fellow first-years surrounding her: unlike Hermione, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode all gave off looks and feelings that they belonged here and, even worse, _they_ knew it. However, unlike the boys, the girls had gathered to at least talk about their futures together, especially since Hermione's dorm-mate was Tracey Davis while Greengrass, Parkinson and Bulstrode were all in the same dorm next to theirs.

"So," Pansy remarked, breaking the awkward silence as she spoke, her voice slightly high-pitched, but with a chilling edge to it, "You're one of us now, Granger: there'll be those in Slytherin that don't like this."

"You think I don't know that?" asked Hermione, tucking a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear as she addressed them, "Why do you think I _wanted_ Slytherin in the first place, Parkinson? To rock the boat, of course. I've seen the blood purity of your world and, as someone who knows what it is to be a target, I felt it was time that someone told you lot the score."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Millicent, her voice rather nasally, but surprisingly deep for one so young, "Are you saying you think yourself better than us, Granger?"

"No, of course not," Hermione answered, looking to each of the girls in turn as she explained, "But if you think I'm just going to roll over like some mongrel pup and let you lot walk all over me, then you've got another thing coming."

The girls seemed stunned by her resolve before, to their surprise, it was Daphne that smiled and, clapping her hands with a look of amusement in her ice-blue eyes, she addressed Hermione as she told her, "You know something, you lot? I think Hermione's going to fit in just fine around here."

"What makes you say that, Daph?" asked Tracey, her voice soft, but holding its own cold edge to it.

"Like she said," Daphne answered, indicating Hermione with a smile, "She _chose_ to be here knowing what was coming: I don't think I've ever known another Muggle born student that felt that way about any House. Plus, in case you seem to have forgotten in the walk from the Great Hall to the dormitory, she _does_ have something we don't: the trust and friendship of Harry Potter."

"The Boy-Who-Lived, you mean?" asked Pansy, earning a soft laugh from Hermione that had Pansy looking to her with bewilderment, "Is something funny, Granger? Did I say a funny thing?"

"I'm sorry," Hermione replied, wiping a stray tear from her eye as she told the strong-willed girl, "It's just that if you think Harry's that title, you're in for a nasty surprise there too. Just as the same as anyone else who comes from the bloodlines that followed and served Lord Voldemort…"

The others flinched, but Hermione continued regardless, "You think I rocked the boat? Well, I get this feeling you haven't seen anything yet."

_**The Silver Trio**_

The next morning, at 7:35, Harry was already awake and in the Common Room when Ron and Hermione reached the entranceway, both of them actually surprised at the early-bird attitude of the young Slytherin. Sitting in seats on either side of the anti-hero of the magical world, Hermione opened one of her own books while Ron casually toyed with his wand, a look of indignant emotions on his face.

"Bad night?" asked Harry without looking up.

"I didn't exactly get the red-carpet treatment," Ron replied, earning a smirk from Hermione as he added, "I think we're going to find a few problems in Slytherin, but still, I didn't expect anything less. My family's always been the black sheep of the wizarding world's society."

"And I've more dipped my toes in the water with my dorm-mates," Hermione added, looking to Harry, who just turned a page in his book as she explained, "Greengrass and Davis seemed to accept that I'm here, Bulstrode seemed willing to let things move on and see for herself what happens…but then there's Parkinson."

"Every nest has one who _thinks_ they're the Queen Bee, Hermione," Harry reasoned, earning a smirk from Ron as he added, "I guess I'm the lucky one, though: I mean you two share with people while I get my own dorm all to myself. According to this note I got from Professor Snape, it's because the Headmaster was worried for my…_unique situation._"

He made air quotes on the last two words before Ron, looking over his shoulder, then looked to Harry as he asked, "Is this the same Headmaster who all but said that the forbidden corridor _needed_ to be explored?"

"That's the one," Harry laughed, earning laughs from his friends as he added, "But it's okay: I mean, I wouldn't mind having dorm-mates, but at the same time, at least I can sleep soundly knowing that the only way into that dorm is through the door, so if anyone comes knocking, I'll be ready."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione.

Closing his book, Harry sniffed once before he answered, "Let's just say that I'm…a really light sleeper and leave it at that: anyway, be back in a minute."

With that, he rose from his chair and left the other two alone; once Harry was gone, Ron and Hermione looked to one another before the brown-haired witch said what they were both thinking, "There's more to him than meets the eye."

"Not only that," Ron reasoned, leaning forwards in his seat as he explained, "But I get this feeling that there's something he's not telling us: I mean, I don't want to pry because…because he's trusted us enough to call us his friends, but Harry's nothing like the image that any of us had when we thought of the son of Lily and James Potter."

"Maybe there's a reason for that," Hermione suggested, then noticing Daphne, Tracey and, from the boys' side, Draco all appearing in the Common Room; lowering her voice, Hermione then added, "Whatever it is, it's something that Harry himself has dealt with. It's not our place to pry, Ronald: last night proved something to me and I don't just mean our becoming Slytherins."

"What _do_ you mean?" asked Ron.

"I mean," Hermione answered, watching as Daphne gave a curt nod while Draco just sneered as he left the Common Room, undoubtedly making a slow trip towards the Great Hall, "That for now, the three of us are on our own. This lot want Harry to be the Boy-Who-Lived, but right now, we're the only ones who see him as Harry."

"So…we need to show others that too?" asked Ron, earning a shake of the head from Hermione, "Then what?"

"We need to let Harry show others that too," Hermione answered, looking to the boys' corridor where said green-eyed wizard was returning; leaning in close to Ron, Hermione dropped her voice as she told him, "If we've somehow become a trio, then I think we can both agree who the number one is out of the three of us…him."

Ron just nodded as Harry reached them; leaning over the back of the chair, the emerald-eyed Slytherin smirked as he asked, "What are you two whispering about down here?"

"Nothing much," Ron answered, earning a small smile from Hermione as he added, "Listen, Harry: we know that we've sort of entered a real Lions' Den here, so…no matter what happens, we want you to know that Hermione and I, we've got your back."

"Thanks Ron," Harry nodded, rising up as he added, "Come on: let's head for the Hall…we don't want to be late."

With the other two members of his trio behind him, Harry walked out of the Slytherin Common Room, the looks of their fellow students going from awe and questioning glances to shock, fear and intimidation as they saw the first of many signs that the Boy-Who-Lived _wasn't_ at Hogwarts.

The Slytherin serpent on his chest!

_**The Silver Trio**_

Throughout their first morning, the trio made an effort to memorise as much about Hogwarts as they could: while the rest of their first-year students took to brushing up on things to know for their first lessons, Harry, Ron and Hermione took a walk to familiarise themselves with locations. By the time that lunchtime had come around, the path of the trio led them outside where, as they gathered against the large monoliths that made up the Stone Circle over the bridge from the entrance, Harry let his eyes wander towards the forest.

From her own place, which was sat at the base of the stone she was leaning against, Hermione looked up at Harry as she asked him, "Knut for your thoughts, Harry?"

"Just thinking about how simple-minded the magical world is," Harry replied, brushing a stray speck of dust from his robe as he addressed his friends, "First they talk about forbidden and right and wrong like they're cardinal sins to be betrayed, but then they point out where is forbidden and yet, from what I can see, there's not exactly an iron-clad defence waiting to stop anyone stupid enough to go wandering."

"That's because most people are more intimidated by what's _inside_ the Forbidden Forest," laughed Ron, standing on the other side of the stone that Harry was leaned against, "I know my brothers aren't exactly golden boys for obedience, but even they have their limits."

"And then there's the third floor," Hermione reasoned, remembering when they'd looked – but not entered – at the door that had led to the forbidden corridor earlier that morning, "I don't want to give the guy props or anything, but if Dumbledore says it's out of bounds, then it's clear that he would have set something up to make sure of it."

"Guess so," Harry reasoned, turning to look back at the school; as he did so, his eyes narrowed as he added, "Heads up, you two: it looks like we've got company."

Hermione got to her feet while Ron stood next to Harry; coming out of the bridge's entranceway were three elder-year Slytherin students, one of whom Hermione recognised as Cassandra Moon, the other Slytherin Prefect. With her were a lean, but fairly-wiry-looking young man with short-cut brown hair and a real sinister look to his dark-brown eyes.

Next to him was a stocky young man with lighter-brown hair and grey eyes that looked like granite; as all three stood before the trio, Harry looked to the Prefect of the group before he sighed deeply.

"Of course," he sighed, indicating the prefect as he asked, "Has someone issued a challenge, Miss Moon?"

"No challenge, Potter," replied the wiry-looking sixth year, whom Harry later learned to be named Peregrine Derrick, "Just…an invitation: before you go off to your lessons, Professor Snape has asked us to show all our first-years the Pit."

"Fine," Harry nodded, looking to the brutish young man, whom he learned to be named Terence Higgs, before he continued, "Lead on: might as well get this over with."

As the group led the trio back into the school, Hermione gently touched Harry's arm as she asked, "What's going on, Harry? I know the Pit is a Slytherins-only area, but I don't remember anything about an introduction."

"It's not an introduction, Hermione," Harry replied calmly, both Ron and Hermione then noticing their dark-haired friend drawing his wand from his robe as he added, "It's a mind game: think about it. The Boy-Who-Lived, figuratively-speaking; a blood-traitor member of society and a…Muggle born student get sorted into Slytherin. What? Did you think there'd be those who _didn't_ have a score to settle?"

As though the Knut had dropped, Hermione drew her wand while Ron did the same, all three of them looking battle-ready as they followed Cassandra, Peregrine and Terrence into the Common Room. From there, Harry watched as they were led into the annexe he had noticed before and, as they reached what looked like an ordinary bookshelf, Cassandra reached up and pulled out a single book. Like something out of a spy or fantasy-thriller movie, the bookcase opened with a click, revealing a winding staircase that descended downwards.

"In," Terrence muttered, earning nods from the students as they walked inside; several stairs later, they emerged into an open field that looked like something out of Roman times. Through the door they'd entered, the trio saw their fellow Slytherins move off to seats around the outer edge and, as Harry returned his attention to the centre, he saw that Terrence, Cassandra and Peregrine had appeared in the arena.

"It's…like a hazing," Hermione whispered, earning a nod from Harry as she asked, "Do we _have_ to do this?"

"If you don't want to," Cassandra replied, smirking as she tapped the badge on her chest, "Just say so and, as Prefect of Slytherin House, I'll authorise a potential resort to another House. Of course, then _all_ Hogwarts will know that a blood-traitor, a Mudblood and the Big Bad Boy-Who-Lived are _scared_ little mewling quims!"

"Do you know something?" asked Ron, standing tall, proud and with a determination to him that hadn't been seen by Slytherins on anyone named Weasley for a long time.

Wrapping his hand even tighter around his wand, Ron then added, "I'm _really_ starting to get sick and tired of the blood traitor comment."

"And I _really_ hate being called the Boy-Who-Lived," Harry added, his eyes shining like emerald fire as he told the others, "As for the _other_ word, I don't know where you get off insulting someone's bloodline. In the end, it's all red and all the same…not to mention the fact that you all just made a _big_ mistake using it near me."

"Why?" laughed Peregrine, watching as the gate into the arena was sealed shut, "What's the matter, Potter? Do you think we'll mess up your pretty little face?"

"No," Hermione sniggered, taking Harry's hand as she told them, "You didn't just insult me, you also insulted Harry's Mother…"

"Which is a direct insult against the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter," added Ron, earning a look from Harry before he told them, "Oh, I don't feel sorry for you three anymore…not that I did to begin with."

"So," Harry reasoned, looking away from Ron and over to the three stooges as he told them, "Who's first?"

"I am," Terrence replied, pointing his finger at Hermione as he laughed, "I choose to take on the _girlie!_"

Harry didn't know why, but he suddenly found himself laughing as Hermione removed her robe, revealing her comfortable-looking Muggle clothes underneath, before she stepped into the arena and, as both warriors gave the custom salute, Terrence fired off his first spell…and his last.

As soon as the word left his lips, Hermione's wand was in her hand, "_Reducto! Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totalus!_"

Three spells in rapid succession flew from her wand, all three hitting: first, Terrence's wand was blown right out of his hand along with three of his fingers before he was thrown back by the force of the Expelliarmus and, finally, his body was bound by the body-binding spell, which made it hard for him to scream in pain.

As the boy's blood trailed across the arena floor, Hermione stepped back while Harry asked, "Next?"

Peregrine Derrick went up against Ron next, though he lasted about as long as Terrence did; using a Flame Charm, Peregrine tried to incinerate Ron's hand-me-down clothes, but not before Ron had gotten a shield up and, whipping his wand in a flurry, he conjured what looked like a swarm of greenish bats. Commanding the swarm to attack, Ron then used the same spell Hermione had used to blow off Terrence's fingers, but this time, it was the bats that exploded, showering Peregrine in mucus, bogies and spit.

A repeat of the Expelliarmus declared the battle over as Harry, shedding his own robe and revealing a rather attractive-looking shirt and jeans that hugged his lean frame, stepped into the arena and saluted Cassandra, who returned it before she told him, "If you want to prove yourself, Potter, then you'll do it by making me _say_ it's over!"

"As you wish," Harry nodded, the customary salutes announcing the duel had begun: Cassandra tried many different spells and charms and hexes, but, for reasons that the students couldn't understand, none of them could hit Harry. Whenever one got close, he seemed to dodge it with surprising reflexes and move almost as though he was dancing.

"Stop mocking me!" roared Cassandra, using an Incendio to create a ring of flames, closing off the space that Harry had to move, "Why won't you fight back?"

"Oh," Harry replied, smirking as he asked, "I'm sorry: I thought this was meant to be _my_ lesson? If you wanted an attack, then all you had to do was ask: _Glacarcea!_"

At Harry's command, a thick, rather sharp-looking piece of ice flew from his wand and, as it flew from his wand, the ice split off until it became a whole army of icicles that sliced at the arms and legs of Cassandra Moon. When they hit, the young woman screamed with pain before the others then noticed that Harry's demeanour had changed.

He was no longer small and mocking; now, he was tall, dark and not willing to take any prisoners.

"You…you'll _pay_ for that, Potter!" Cassandra screamed, her violet eyes shining maliciously as she hissed, "_Brachifringe!_"

This time, the magic that flew from Cassandra's wand seemed to cut at Harry's arm, though there was also a loud cracking sound that seemed to make several of the Slytherins tremble.

"A Bone Blaster Curse," Draco whispered, almost smiling as he muttered, "Potter's done."

"I _would_ be," Harry agreed, looking up at Draco as he told him, "Except for one thing: she hit the wrong arm."

Here, he lifted his right arm, his wand in hand, before he told her, "My turn: _Carcecrucim!_"

"A Constrictor Curse?" asked Marcus Flint, watching as the curse created a chain of serrated steel that wrapped around Cassandra's hand, cutting off her blood flow and, at the same time, dropping her wand to the floor.

With a sharp tug on his own wand, Harry tightened the chain so that it cut deep into the girl's wrist; approaching the Prefect, who was now down on her knees before the half-blood Boy-Who-Lived, Harry seemed to grow even darker as he glared at her.

"Now," Harry hissed icily, his tone cutting through the arena as he told Cassandra, "You have two choices: you can either submit to me and give me your word that no-one will _ever_ target Ron, Hermione or me ever again or you can lose your hand and earn a living as a female Captain Hook: what's it to be?"

With gasping tears, as though she couldn't actually believe not only the level of power, but the level of her own stupidity, Cassandra lowered her head before she told him, "I…I yield."

With another snapping motion of his wand, Harry retracted the chain before he turned and, looking at the Slytherins, he addressed them, "Get this through those thick, blood-purist skulls of yours. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter: a half-blood, a pureblood _blood traitor_ and a Muggle born: three things that _your_ 1800s way of life says shouldn't be together at _any_ time. Well, now we are and, trust me, next time, it won't be disarming spells we use to send the message! We're here, as Slytherin students, and we're here to stay: if you don't like it, then make something of it…there's many a good doctor out there these days."

With that, he turned on his heel and left the arena, his two friends at his heels and the rest of Slytherin House in shocked disbelief as they let the image of what they'd just seen run through their heads.

But as the images ran through their heads, so did a question:

What _did_ they just see?

**Chapter 2 and Harry has sent his message, but where has this dark, ruthless side of our hero come from and who might be next to feel the burn?**

**Also, what could Severus want with Harry and what is Harry not telling the other members of the Silver Trio?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: Professor Snape speaks with Harry while first lessons come and go; also, Draco considers what he's just seen while another considers the dark mind and attitude of the so-called **_**hero **_**of the Light…**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ron pairing**_

**Okay, so many of you cast your ideas in reviews and I'm thankful; there seemed to be a few shared ideas, so I've decided to post a poll on my profile asking you all for your opinions; cast your votes now…**

_**AN2: Dark Trio**_

**Okay, since people **_**might**_** have a bit of a problem with our heroes, let me point some things out now:**

**Harry: He spends ten years in hell and then gets rescued by a guy that can't keep a secret before taking his shot at freedom and spending a summer learning and growing: why **_**wouldn't**_** he be stronger? **

**Oh, and as for the dark angry side of him, think of it this way: he can't use magic – and couldn't before he learned what it was – on Muggles, so what does he do with all that rage and desire for revenge?**

**Ron: Still a bit of a 'sidekick' to Harry, but with sharper reflexes and a mind to him that makes him cunning, but dangerous when angered;**

**Hermione: Comes from a world that is shunned and turned away by magic while also using her mind to learn all that she can; add to that how she is willing to follow those in power and you get…well, scary thought here, but you get a young Bellatrix, really;**

**OC SPELLS:**

_**Carcecrucim: The Constrictor Curse: **_

**Summons a thick, serrated chain that can cause blood loss and serious injury to a target;**

_**Brachifringe: The Bone Blasting Curse**_

**Targets the bones and ligaments within the body and separates them painfully with the force of a Blasting Curse**

_**Glacarcea: The Ice Shower Hex**_

**Summons a spike of icy energy that splits off into a hail of icicles that can slice and/or trap a target in their embrace;**


	3. To Teach A Lesson

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/TBC

**Other Pairings: **TBC

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**WhiteElfElder: I don't know: I think there'll be those who get the message fairly quickly;**

**Alix33: No, the stone circle is the small ring of stones from Prisoner of Azkaban where the gang originally watch Buckbeak's execution and where Hermione punches Malfoy;**

**Daithi4377: Strong, yes; powerful, definitely; out to prove a point…no, they're not **_**out**_** to prove a point: they're proving it right now, so to speak;**

**DragonTamer01: Mostly, as I've said before and say again, I just make them up;**

**StormyFireDragon: Yikes, Storm: don't do that to me, pal…your reviews are what keep me going most of all;**

_With that, he turned on his heel and left the arena, his two friends at his heels and the rest of Slytherin House in shocked disbelief as they let the image of what they'd just seen run through their heads._

_But as the images ran through their heads, so did a question:_

_What did they just see?_

Chapter 3: To Teach A Lesson

While the Slytherin students seemed to do their best to take care of their wounds themselves – which was pretty hard for Higgs since he'd had three of his fingers blown off – Harry, Ron and Hermione cleaned themselves up before they made their way to lunch. When the rest of the house, minus Higgs and Moon, caught up with them, Harry seemed to have calmed down, but only enough so that he was somewhat normal with his friends.

As the dinnertime feast officially began, however, the calm moment of the day was interrupted by a loud screech followed by a crash right into a gravy boat. Wiping down his robe with a napkin, Harry saw that the source of the splashdown was a mottled-grey owl that actually looked like one of its wings had been broken.

A growl from his right-hand side told him that Ron knew the owl and, as Harry watched, Ron pulled the small envelope free of the owl's talons, his eyes not even shifting emotions as several whispers rose up around him.

As the owl lay in the gravy, Ron looked over to the Gryffindor Table where a tall, red-haired boy with a badge on his chest was looking _very_ proud of himself: next to Ron, Harry saw the look and sent one back, promising retribution for whatever was going on.

The Prefect of Gryffindor, whom Harry later learned was named Percy, paled suddenly as he caught the look before Harry, turning back to his friend, asked in a low voice, "What's he done?"

"It's a Howler," Hermione replied, watching as Ron held the clasp of the letter tightly shut, even though the edges of the envelope were starting to smoulder, "They describe things like this in one of our books: they're enchanted to project a voice inside them that dictates whatever is written on the letter."

"And if this is Mum's voice," Ron growled, his ears and cheeks burning with shame and humiliation, "There are going to be one or two less Weasleys around the school…and _I'm_ one of them! How _dare_ he do this to me!"

"Burn it," Harry advised Ron, but his red-haired friend shook his head.

"No," Ron answered, now clutching the Howler in one hand as he hissed, "I'm not ashamed, Harry: let's see what she has to say…but first…a little payback."

With that, he rose from his seat, earning looks from the others; some of the students half-expected Ron to go running out of the Great Hall in shame and terror. However, to the shock and amusement of the Slytherins, especially Harry and Hermione, Ron crossed the room and stood over Percy's shoulder.

"This should be fun," Harry whispered, watching as Percy paled while, down the table, the twins that Harry had noticed suddenly covered their ears, though one of them sent a sarcastic cut-throat gesture to Percy as though he was telling him _you deserved this._

Over on the Gryffindor Table, Ron released his grip on the clasp and, lowering it down to Percy, he asked, "So, you think it's funny trying to make me look bad, you _perfect pillock?_ Well, here: allow me to share the spoils of war with you."

"Don't you…" Percy began, but Ron didn't listen: with a growl and a sharp pull of his arm, the youngest Weasley opened the envelope, the motion now earning a duck of the heads from the twins as a loud voice thundered around the hall.

"RONALD WEASLEY!"

Back on the Slytherin Table, Harry smirked as he realised that he had finally found someone louder and more annoying than Petunia Dursley's baby-talk to Dudley: and, from the looks on the other Weasleys' faces, this was like putting a mouse in a house full of cats…or should that be _snakes_?

Regardless, Harry and the rest of Hogwarts listened as the projected voice of Mrs Weasley continued, "HOW _DARE_ YOU LET THAT OLD HAT PUT YOU IN SLYTHERIN! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED AND ASHAMED TO CALL YOU MY SON! WE DIDN'T RAISE YOU TO BE A DEATH EATER DISGRACE! YOU ARE GOING TO DEMAND A RESORT _RIGHT NOW_ OR SO HELP ME; I'LL BE PULLING YOU OUT OF HOGWARTS BEFORE MONDAY!"

"I'd certainly like to see you try, you banshee!" growled Ron, ripping up the remainder of the letter before he told Percy, "Next time I see Errol come anywhere near my friends' table or me, I'll put the git out of his misery!"

With that, Ron stormed back to the Slytherin Table before he picked up the gravy-sodden owl and, with a kick that would have made any rugby coach proud, he punted the owl _straight_ through the open window, earning a few gasps from certain students while Harry, amused at his friend's restraint, applauded at the act.

Looking up and down the table, Ron asked in a dangerously-vicious tone, "Anyone else have a problem with me being a Slytherin?"

There wasn't a single Slytherin that answered, especially not after having witnessed the strength and power held with the red-haired Slytherin and his two friends.

As the feast continued, Harry looked over once more at the Gryffindor Table, his eyes catching sight of Percy Weasley still watching with that smug look on his face. As he finished eating, remembering that he had a meeting with Professor Snape after the feast, Harry rose from his seat before, with a gesture to his friends, he walked over to the Gryffindor Table.

This time, the entire hall fell silent as they watched the so-called Boy-Who-Lived walk across the hall and, when he reached Percy, he stopped and looked at the boy's now-curious glare.

"Something I can do for you, Mr Potter?" asked Percy, his pompous voice giving Harry an impression of a puffed-up peacock.

Unfortunately, this peacock was in the path of a King Cobra and, right now, the cobra was venomous: with a low hiss that made the hairs on the necks of those nearby stand on end, Harry leaned down before he told Percy, "Next time you get involved in business that isn't yours, make sure you can back it up yourself, Weasley. Because unlike you and your…_family_, we Slytherins stand together and, unlike you, Ron had those who will stand by him and help him wherever we can. So, if you want to send a message, then send this one to Mummy dearest!"

With that, he rose up before, to the shock of the Gryffindors, Harry took the back of Percy's head and, without any real remorse or regret, the dark-haired Slytherin smashed Percy's face right into the golden-metallic colours of the plate in front of him.

Leaving the Prefect eating humble pie, Harry looked to the Gryffindors with a stern glare before he told them, "I suppose this is why Slytherins _hate_ Gryffindors with a vengeance: just remember this next time you decide to get involved. We won't hide…not anymore."

Then, without another word, Harry left the Great Hall, leaving a few frightened, impressed and even curious Gryffindors.

As well as one gravy-coated Prefect, who made a plan to deal with the Brat-Who-Lived for getting involved with family business…

_**The Silver Trio**_

Professor Snape's office was located down the corridor from the Slytherin Common Room and, as Harry approached the door with five minutes to spare before his meeting with his Head of House, he felt his vengeful demeanour return to normal now that he had avenged a friend's honour.

The thick-headed Prefect had made the mistake of getting involved in business that not even his Banshee-brained Mummy-dearest could overrule: the sorting was iron-clad and the only way that it could be undone was by a mutual agreement between the Head of House and the student themselves. Yes, a parental guardian could authorise such a thing, but the final decision lay with the student and, given what Harry had seen over the past few hours, he knew without needing to guess that Ron would _never_ be a Gryffindor.

"Harry?"

'Speak of the devil,' thought Harry, looking up just as Ron and Hermione reached him, the young Weasley looking both amused and grateful as he stopped near Harry.

"Thanks for that," Ron remarked, giving Harry a curt nod as he added, "Percy's always had a real stick up his ass about everything: it's part of the reason that I wanted to be a Slytherin. Of course, now that you've attacked him, he'll have Mum here by Monday."

"I'm not scared of her," Harry argued, leaning against the wall near to Snape's office, his arms folded as he told his friend, "What's she going to say? _I'm a disappointment to my parents? It's none of my business? I should learn to grow up and stop being such a child?_ Well, no matter what she says, she doesn't rule me: so maybe you should send her a little warning. Tell her that if she comes after me, I won't hold back just because she's a) a woman and b) a mother. You're my friend, Ron, and Slytherins look after their own."

"Harry's right, Ron," Hermione agreed, now standing next to Harry while Ron leaned on the wall opposite the duo, "It'd be like my parents getting involved: not that they can since they're Muggles and all, but I wouldn't let them take me away from this world no matter what."

"No offence meant, Hermione," Ron reasoned, brushing dust off his robe as he told her, "But it's a _little_ different for magical families: I mean, Mum could get Dad to disown me if I don't do as she says."

"Then let her," Harry replied coldly, earning a raised eyebrow from Ron as he added, "Cause then I'd offer you a place as part of my family: if our House is like our family, then why shouldn't I?"

"Good point again," Hermione nodded, then indicating Ron's clothes as she added, "And at least then you wouldn't have to continue looking so…well, so like one of them. So let her disown you, Ron: you've got friends who'll back you up."

"An interesting argument, Miss Granger," a low, sibilant tone replied, drawing the trio's attention to where Professor Severus Snape was standing, his dark hair falling loosely around his shoulders while his pale face and dark eyes were fixed on the three Slytherins. "Take 10 points to Slytherin for sticking up for your fellow students, both of you. However, this meeting is for Potter alone: so you two should return to your Common Room until he returns."

"They can stay," Harry retorted, earning a look from Professor Snape as he added, "As the other Slytherins seem to have figured out by now, Professor, we look after one another, us three."

"I am aware of what you three do together, Potter," Snape replied, his tone slightly-hardened by some sort of emotional hatred that Harry couldn't understand. "However, these meetings are one-on-one and no-one else is meant to know of what we speak about."

"And what does that mean for someone who hates the name James Potter as much as others do for Voldemort?" asked Ron hotly, his eyes boring into Severus' skull as he explained, "I've heard the stories about your rivalries and hatreds for him since your time at school. So you get Harry alone in a room and who knows what could happen?"

"Mr Weasley," Snape scowled, "You should not interfere with things that do not concern you."

"Then you won't mind them joining me so that they make sure you don't _do_ anything, Professor," replied Harry, now standing tall as he added, "Otherwise, sir, it's good afternoon from me and good day from them!"

Again, Hermione laughed while Ron just smirked: Severus, meanwhile, was suddenly reminded of another cold persona with close friends and loyal followers. He'd hoped that this meeting would give him answers that others wanted, especially concerning the condition of the three elder-year students following their bout in the Pit.

However, Harry's will was like diamond: unmovable, unyielding and none too willing to bend and break to small things like rules and suggestions.

Taking a breath to calm his outrage at actually being questioned by one of his snakes, Severus answered Harry's point as he told him, "Very well, Potter: your friends may accompany you in and sit in on our meeting. Now, come on: I've got more important things to do than baby-sit the whining desires of some obnoxious little brat."

"If I were you, Snape," growled Harry suddenly, his eyes fixed on the Potions Master, "I'd take that back: you saw what I did to one of those whimpering Gryffindorks for slander. I didn't exactly hold back against your precious Prefect either: need I take on someone higher before you one-track-minded wizard idiots get it through your thick skulls that the _Boy-Who-Lived_ is, miraculously, dead?"

"Unless you want me to remove those points, Potter…" Severus began, but stopped when Harry gave an overly-dramatic gasp.

"Oh _please,_" drawled the emerald-eyed Slytherin, "Please, professor, no: please don't take points! Oh, how can I live if my points are taken? Oh, maybe I should just end it now and go and jump in the Black Lake?"

"Potter!" scowled Severus, but Harry seemed to stop his sarcastic retort as he turned to the man.

"That's my surname, Professor Snape, don't wear it out," replied Harry, sniffing once as he added, "Now, are we going in or are we going to stay out here and have a lovely battle of wits with one another? Because it looks like you've reached your limit!"

Severus went for Harry, but the Silver Trio got there first: drawing their wands, Harry pointed his wand at Severus, his eyes flashing dangerously as he hissed, "_Big_ mistake, Snape! When are you _people_ going to get it? I am _not_ your little boy any longer: I am _not_ afraid to fight back, no matter if you're a student or a sorry excuse for a teacher and, finally, I _am_ willing to do whatever it takes to teach some _lessons_ of my own to those who need them."

"Lower your wands, you three," Severus insisted, his eyes fixed on Harry as he added, "You are risking expulsion here!"

"Oh no," groaned Harry, once again speaking sarcastically as he drawled, "Whatever will we do? I mean, it's _obvious_ that Hogwarts School is the _only_ magical school on the face of Planet Earth! I guess we'll need to book a rocket to the moon to learn somewhere else, won't we?"

"Get out of my sight!" snapped Severus, earning a smirk from Harry as he pocketed his wand and, with a shrug, he walked away with the other two at his heels.

"You only had to ask nicely, Snape," Harry laughed as he walked away, before, stopping just a few steps away from Professor Snape, Harry turned before he added, "Maybe next time you'll learn not to see someone for a _dead_ person: and if you continue to do so…well, just ask Miss Moon what I was willing to do to her for insulting my friends, my family and me."

Then, with a billowing motion from his robes that had Severus turning green with envy, Harry Potter was gone;

Leaving a _very_ worried Severus Snape in his wake.

'Whoever that was…that _wasn't_ Potter Senior…that was someone worse! And not in a bully's way either.'

_**The Silver Trio**_

As the first week continued and Harry grew more and more accustomed to his life as a Slytherin, things around Hogwarts grew more serious as people started to learn that crossing swords with Harry Potter and his Silver Trio wasn't something you wanted to do if you were smart. If you had any desires of seeing the new dawn and continuing life in a fairly-normal, sane way, the one thing you didn't do was go after the trio.

In their lessons, the trio stood together, united even through the lessons where they were better off in pairs or working alone: the only one that really had a problem with it was Professor McGonagall, who took points from Slytherin when all three completed her first task in record time.

Harry, who had been toying with his matchstick-needle transfiguration, just sighed before he looked up at the Gryffindor Head before he asked, "Uh huh, so how many points would we have _gained_ had it been lions on our badges and not snakes? Or is it because someone finally showed you what it means to look out for your own?"

His remark, though funny as some of the Slytherins laughed at it, earned Harry a detention with Snape that night: unfortunately – or not, in Harry's case – he didn't turn up, so that cost Slytherin twenty points and a week's detention.

Harry didn't care: the only thing he was after was the experience of learning to be as great as he could be and menial things like points, detentions and personal academic achievements didn't matter to him. After the Percy incident, Ron quickly joined Harry on his dark crusade while Hermione, as both the mind and emotional support of the trio, helped do what she could to keep Harry calm in case he did something he'd soon regret.

She, like Ron, knew what Harry wanted and the fact that he wasn't getting it was getting on his nerves.

One of the _very_ few lessons that Harry did enjoy was Defence Against the Dark Arts: though Professor Quirrell stammered worse than a stuck CD, it was a chance for Harry to learn about _real_ magic and, at times, use it for his own benefit. Also, Professor Quirrell seemed to take a shine towards the trio and did the best he could whenever he could to enforce their regaining of points for Slytherin.

He also, much to Harry's surprise, gave them the classroom next to his for their own private use if they needed somewhere quiet for studies or other such reasons. Since he was _meant_ to be using said classroom for more-practical lessons, the Trio didn't argue and Quirrell said nothing about them when they were in there.

On the Friday of their first week, the trio had their first lesson with Professor Snape, but again, Harry just ignored the man when he barked at Harry about _paying attention_ and, even when Harry got the answers right, Severus actually had the nerve to blame Ron and Hermione for helping him out.

However, if there was one part of Severus' tirade and quiz that caught Harry's attention, it was when he asked Harry about powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood. From his readings, Harry knew that asphodel – rather ironically – belonged to the same family as the lily-plant and, in some circles, was associated with things like regret and death while wormwood, a part of the herb aconite, was known for its bitter taste.

If Harry didn't know better, not that he showed such realisations on his face, but if he didn't know better, he'd have sworn that Severus Snape was actually trying to tell him something about his Mother's death. However, when he shared these theories with the other two, Harry laughed as he told them that Severus was just like everyone else: trying to make him feel something about Mummy and Daddy and somehow point out that he was disappointing them.

"How exactly _does_ someone disappoint a dead person?" Hermione asked, earning a shrug from Harry as they'd continued with their studies.

In the third week of their term, the Slytherins were put with the Gryffindors once again, but this time, it was for Flying and, when Harry showed his skills while also helping out Hermione – who revealed that she had a mild fear of flying – it showed the others that even Harry Potter had something he liked.

And he did: he liked flying because of the freedom that it provided and the fact that you didn't have to care about anyone or anything; although, if you had asked Harry, he would have said that the one thing that let the lesson down was when Neville Longbottom kept getting injured in one form or another and abruptly ending the lesson.

Sooner or later, the young Slytherin knew that he was going to have a few words with the Gryffindor dead-last.

_**The Silver Trio**_

The wintry chill was the first sign for most that winter and the snowfalls were on their way;

For Harry, however, the cold almost didn't seem to bother him: one weekend in October, with not much longer to go until Halloween, a night that had some worried for his attitude and reactions on said day, Harry was out by the Stone Circle, resting comfortably against the solid stones as he let the cold breeze ruffle his dark hair.

Ron and Hermione had given him this moment of privacy while they worked on their tasks for a lesson, but Harry, who was usually the first one done with all homework in the Trio, had left them to it as he'd ventured out into the cold.

As he sat there, just enjoying what passed for a moment of peace and quiet in Hogwarts, Harry was then aware of a figure lurking nearby: though he was yet to tell anyone of such things, all those years with the human pig's child known as Dudley had heightened Harry's reflexes and made him alert.

Heaving a sigh, Harry rose from his seat before he turned and, stepping inside the circle, he drawled, "And I was having such a nice day: whoever's there, I suggest showing yourself unless you want to crawl back to the school."

From the furthest stone, which was also on the road up to the Owlery, a single figure emerged and, when he saw who it was, Harry groaned before he asked, "What do you want, Malfoy? Another example of why you're blowing hot air?"

"No," replied Draco Malfoy, approaching Harry with raised hands as he told him, "I just want to talk."

"Well that's nice," Harry nodded, now drawing his wand on Draco as he added, "But I don't talk to people like you: so whatever it is you think you can say, I'm not listening. So piss off."

"Will you just listen for one minute, Potter?" asked Draco, now stopping at arm's length from Harry, but not so close that he was within Harry's wand range.

Keeping his wand trained on the Malfoy Heir, Harry prodded his wand as he told him, "Start talking."

"I've been watching you," Draco told him, keeping his distance, but also keeping his calm as he faced this dark-minded Slytherin, "And I've seen you act around those you call friends, but also those you call your enemies. I've seen you defend honour on several-hundred occasions while also shoving a face-full of dirt into that Weasley Prefect's face and that, Potter, takes a real pair of balls, but it also takes something I didn't think you had."

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"Ruthless aggression," answered Draco, his eyes fixed on Harry as he added, "You don't have to tell me why, but I know what you are now, Potter: you're dark-minded, ruthless and you take no crap from nobody. So, with all that in mind, I want to apologise for what I said before: I was wrong to try and treat you as another face in the crowd to follow me around: if anyone deserves to lead, then I'm looking at him. So, here and now, I'm coming to you and I'm saying it: Potter…Harry, I'm asking you…as a Slytherin _and_ a wizard who can't even consider doing half the stuff you've done, to _please_ let me join you and your…circle of friends."

"And what can _you_ offer me, Daddy's Boy?" asked Harry, though he did have a look of intrigue in his eyes.

"How about that?" asked Draco, "My Father's assistance: you've used curses and you read about them, but you've only just scratched the surface. I can take you to places and show you places outside these walls where you can curse, bleed and have as much fun with the dark side of your power as you wish. All I ask in return is the chance to stand in the shadows of the new, true, leader of Slytherin: the Apex Predator, if you like."

With a hum of interest, Harry smirked as he told Draco, "I _do_ like that, but…why the change of heart? You didn't seem to mind trying to stick the knife in my friends' backs before now, so what's changed?"

"You," Draco answered, pointing at Harry as he told him, "You fear nothing, Harry: you respect only those who've earned your respect and, right now, I could probably count every single one of those people on one hand…"

"Probably," agreed Harry, now lowering his wand as he added, "You mean this, don't you?"

"More than anything else before," Draco told him, now stepping close to Harry before he told him, "You'll soon find that there are some forms of power greater than others, Harry: you want to make sure you master them all. I can help you there."

With that, he held out his hand and, as Harry looked down, he smiled before he shook Draco's hand firmly, his eyes shining as he told him, "Welcome to the team, Draco Malfoy."

Removing his hand from Draco's, Harry then shivered before he told him, "Come on: let's get inside…I'm getting chilly out here."

With a laugh, Draco followed behind Harry, his grey eyes filled with wonder as he followed Harry back inside;

'You _are_ a leader, Harry Potter…perhaps even great enough to be _the_ leader…'

**Chapter 3 and Harry's circle has a new member, but what could Draco mean by Harry being great enough to be **_**the**_** leader?**

**Also, what sort of vengeance does Percy Weasley have in mind and when will he enact said vengeance?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: The Silver Trio get their first taste of blood as Halloween dawns; also, Harry has a word with a certain Gryffindor about his future while Severus faces a dilemma concerning Harry's dark nature and, to top it all off, Harry takes his hatred of the red-heads to the next level as Ron faces the consequences of his ignorance…**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ron pairing**_

**Okay, so many of you cast your ideas in reviews and I'm thankful; there seemed to be a few shared ideas, so I've decided to post a poll on my profile asking you all for your opinions; cast your votes now; the poll will be open for one more chapter, so if you haven't voted, then do so.**

_**AN2: Prefect Weasley**_

**Now, given the taster there, I think you can all guess what's about to happen, but…here's a question for you: should the red-headed peacock live through his experience or should he die?**


	4. Samhain

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**Tammy: Well I appreciate your honesty, but remember that Harry read before Hogwarts and since then too; also, thanks for the suggestion: I hope you like it;**

**StormyFireDragon: Well Storm, get ready for the boat to be well-and-truly rocked;**

**Technokitty818: Yeah I know of that story; it has to be my most-favourite Dark-Harry story I've **_**ever**_** read;**

**Alice1985: Oh I have plans for Ginny;**

**Daithi4377: All good points and I think the fate is going to be a sad one…for the git, anyway;**

**ALSO: Just a heads-up, but the final pairings have been decided and the winner of the Ron pairing poll has been decided: it was a bit of a difference, but the final winner was…DAPHNE! From there, I made some interesting pairing choices for others that will, in time, side with the Silver Trio, so I hope you all enjoy the story;**

_Then, without another word, Harry left the Great Hall, leaving a few frightened, impressed and even curious Gryffindors._

_As well as one gravy-coated Prefect, who made a plan to deal with the Brat-Who-Lived for getting involved with family business…_

Chapter 4: Samhain

When Ron and Hermione learned that Draco had joined their group, there was a temporary moment of awkwardness as they remembered everything he'd said about them over the past few weeks. However, the other two members of the trio knew that Harry wasn't someone to just offer his trust and, when he confirmed this fact by telling Draco that Ron and Hermione were closer, and therefore higher-up in the hierarchy, to him in the group than Draco was, it seemed to ease off the tension.

Draco wasn't _that_ surprised: given the past month's actions and the way that Harry had worked as both someone without respect or restraint for speaking him as well as being the thorn in the sides of many in Hogwarts, it made sense that he had some ground to cover before truly earning the trust of the Silver Trio.

To distract themselves from the dilemma of Draco's joining, Ron and Hermione did their best to help Harry remain calm in the run-up to Halloween: as everyone else in Hogwarts knew, the night of supernatural hallowing would be hard for him. Given that Harry wasn't one for showing his emotions, Ron and Hermione also had to wonder what sort of things had happened to their leader and friend in Halloweens past, though Ron was the one to say that the one who asked Harry would be a braver man than him.

Little did any of the Trio know that, in another part of the school, someone was making plans of their own that would, unintentionally, bring out the full force of Harry's loss, mourning and rage for the darkest night of the magical calendar.

_**The Silver Trio**_

On Halloween morning, Hogwarts awoke to a warm, enticing smell of baking pumpkins and sounds that travelled through the halls and corridors of the school, each sound making the students feel chilled and uneasy, but also excited about the evening feast. In Charms, the Slytherins and Gryffindors were, once again, partnered up and, this time, their task was the art of Levitation, which amused and excited most of the class.

As seemed to be the case, the Silver Trio were amongst the first to get it right while, around the room, several other people struggled: Seamus Finnegan of Gryffindor somehow managed to blow up his feather while Neville Longbottom jabbed and slashed his wand so hard that it flew out of his hand and very nearly took out the eye of Hermione, had it not been for split-second reflexes from Harry that had him grabbing the wand before it hit her.

"This is getting ridiculous," growled the young Slytherin, rising from his seat before, crossing the room, he stopped in front of Neville, the sight of the dark-minded Slytherin actually making the timid Gryffindor tremble with fear and intimidation.

Setting the wand down on the desk, Harry drew his own wand before, with a swish and a flick, he commanded the spell and levitated the feather easily. Once it was back down on the desk, Harry looked to Neville before he nudged the wand closer to the shy boy, who gulped hard as he took it from where Harry had left it.

"Fear is an asset and a curse, Longbottom," Harry explained, his voice low so that only Neville could hear him, "Control yours before you hurt someone else that I'm not there to stop from being hurt. Whatever your fear is, get over it: if you need help doing so, come and find me…better you get help than accidentally blow someone up."

With that, he returned to his seat, but not before Professor Flitwick awarded Slytherin 10 points for helping another student and showing the correct technique for the spell.

As usual, Harry didn't even blink.

_**The Silver Trio**_

That evening, Harry sat with the rest of the Slytherins in the Great Hall, neither him nor the other members of his little group paying much attention to the decorations or spooky atmosphere in the hall. Instead, Harry just took enough to sate his appetite before, as he began to tuck into the feast, the door to the Great Hall burst open and Professor Quirrell ran in, his eyes wide as he screamed loud enough for everyone to hear.

"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEONS! AH…TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS!"

Silence that any librarian would kill for suddenly filled the hall as every head, including those of the Silver Trio, turned to the normally-stuttering Professor as he gasped and heaved before, with a gulp, he then added, "Thought you ought to know…"

Then he fell to the floor in an almost-too-perfect dead faint, but not before cries and screams filled the Great Hall; it took several loud bangs from Dumbledore's wand to calm the students before the Headmaster took a deep breath as he told them, "Prefects will lead their House back to the dormitories: teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

"Excuse me, Headmaster," Harry interrupted, standing tall and proud as he faced Dumbledore, "But where do you suggest that the Slytherins go? If the troll is in the dungeons, it would be dangerous for us to go anywhere near there."

"Five points to Slytherin for that quick thinking, Mr Potter," Severus replied, but Harry was as stone-faced as ever as he then added, "In that case, Slytherin students kindly make your way to the Practical Defence room on the third floor: I'm sure you and your friends know the way, Potter."

'He knows we use that room,' thought Harry with a sneer, before he gave a curt nod and, turning on his heel, he walked out with the rest of the Slytherins.

However, as the group reached the second floor, they were suddenly cut off when, from behind them, two voices called out, "Oi Ron: wait up!"

"What do _they_ want?" asked Ron softly, turning to see Fred and George Weasley running towards him, Harry and Hermione; as the twins stopped to catch their breaths, Ron then asked, "What? Can't you see we're in the middle of a crisis?"

"You…you should…shouldn't be going…going that way," Fred gasped, pointing up the stairs as he added, "Snape…Snape's been…been convinced by…by Percy to…to send you there. The…the rest of Slytherin…the rest of them have stayed in the hall."

"It _was_ weird that Snape did say just me and my friends," Harry reasoned, earning a look from the others as, to their shock, they then noticed that Fred and George were right too: no other Slytherins had come up after them.

"What do you suggest?" asked Hermione.

"Well," replied Harry calmly, turning to face the entrance to the third floor, "We've seen the hook: might as well take the bait…and show Perfect Prat what happens when you go swimming with sharks."

"We didn't hear that," Fred and George chorused, earning thankful nods from the Trio as they left them alone; reaching the third-floor corridor, Harry then drew his wand and, stepping into the room, he cast the first spell that came to mind.

"_Lumos Solem!_"

A blinding white light filled the room, the energy and force of the spell revealing another presence in the room as a loud cry came from the corner of the Practical Defence classroom. With the other two at his back, Harry stepped into the classroom before he turned and, with his wand now trained on the source of the cry, he shook his head slowly.

"So of all the days and all the times you could have chosen to act in apparent Gryffindor revenge, you pick _this_ day?" asked Harry, his voice edged by a hint of rage as he, Ron and Hermione all stared at Percy Weasley, the elder student now rubbing his eyes as he tried to pierce the blindness inflicted on him by Harry's bright lights.

"Maybe you really _are_ a peacock, Perce," Ron suggested, now pointing his wand at his brother as he asked, "Cause why else would you willingly anger _him_ on today of all days?"

"Not that anyone will admit to it," Percy sneered, still clearing his eyes of the disorienting feelings, "I am a school Prefect who found an ally in someone who hates you as much as I do."

"Yes, Professor Snape," Harry replied icily, his eyes narrowed as he told the red-head, "Don't worry, I'll soon deal with him, but first…you."

"I am four years your better, Potter," Percy laughed, "What can you do against me?"

"Let's find out," replied Harry, lifting his wand before he commanded, "_Vespisecta!_"

Much like the ice spell that he had used in the Slytherin Pit, Harry's new spell fired off several painful-looking stingers that jabbed and poked at Percy, but when they did so, they left horrible-looking pustules that went purple with infection.

"The Scorpion's Sting Hex," Harry smirked, watching as Percy tried to clear the pustules away with a jab of his wand, "A third-year duelling spell, I grant you, but then again, I did plenty of reading and studying ahead with my freedom. Now, what shall I do next?"

"Mind if I get a shot in here, Harry?" asked Ron, earning a nod from his friend; lifting his wand to Percy, Ron smiled cruelly as he told his brother, "Just a heads-up for Mum, Percy: if you tell her about this and she disowns me, she'll be making her biggest mistake yet: _Diffindo!_"

Percy suddenly screamed in pain as the biggest of his pustules, which was located just beneath his voice box, burst forth, sending blood and pus all over the floor. As the Prefect fell to the floor, he lifted his wand and fired off a non-verbal spell, but Hermione, using her own wand, deflected it without a thought.

"That's the secret about spells, Weasley," Hermione growled, pointing her wand right between Percy's eyes, "You've got to mean it no matter what you do: otherwise, it's like throwing a paper string onto a fire. You're just making it worse."

"S-S-Shut…shut…your…your mouth…Mudblood," hissed Percy, making his third biggest mistake of the day – the first was trying to trap the Trio and the second was challenging Harry's fury on Halloween of all nights.

As Hermione lifted her wand, Harry held his hand out, stopping her with a shake of his head as he told her, "No, Hermione: we don't want a martyr of him. Remember that Snape knows we came up here, so we can't exactly cover our tracks: besides, death should be a release, not a punishment."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" asked Hermione.

With a cold smile, Harry shrugged before he answered, "I suggest…we make an example of him…but first: _Brachifringe!_"

Percy screamed again as Harry's hex – learned from his battle with Cassie Moon – broke the bones in his left leg, leaving him unable to stand for long; another spell, this time from Hermione, knocked the red-haired idiot out while, with a Levitation Charm, Harry made his way out of the room, his two friends at his heels.

On their way downstairs, each of them deciding what to do and when, Harry smiled when he heard a soft grunting sound coming not from the dungeons, but from a nearby girls' bathroom.

"Perfect," sniggered Harry, handing control of the Levitation Charm to Hermione as he told her, "Put him with his new boyfriend: then come and find me."

"Yes sir," Hermione replied, watching as Harry walked away from the corridor, leaving his two friends to take care of their business, both of them also thankful for the times they'd spent researching with Harry.

It also meant that they knew the perfect set of spells to cover their tracks…

_**The Silver Trio**_

As Harry reached the dungeons, he didn't waste any time;

Making his way down to the office of Professor Severus Snape, Harry lifted his wand before he pointed it at the door and commanded, "_Alohomora!_"

With a click, the door opened, allowing Harry to walk into the room unchallenged: finding it empty, the young Slytherin sniggered to himself as he wandered around the room, noticing potions bottles, certificates and commemorations for defence and duelling as well as, to Harry's surprise, what looked like a small black book entitled _Advanced Potion Making,_ though it looked battered and used and, curiously, out of the way.

Retrieving the book, Harry opened the first page before a smirk touched his lips as he read;

_This journal is the property of the Half-Blood Prince_

"Interesting," whispered Harry, pocketing the journal before he looked around the office and, seeing the Potions Master's desk, he approached it before searching long and hard through the drawers.

Amidst notes, unmarked essays and what looked like odds and ends to do with Potions and potion texts, Harry found what he was looking for:

Leverage on Severus Snape.

Pulling the item from the drawer, Harry opened it: it was a small box with a pair of initials engraved on the clasp that read _LE_ and _SP: Friends forever._

Inside the box, Harry's eyes narrowed as he saw what looked like a small plant that was standing upright despite the lack of soil and nutrition for the small item. Closing the box again, Harry smirked as he pocketed it before he walked to the door; just as he reached it, the young Slytherin had to double-back as he heard approaching footsteps.

Seconds later, Severus Snape strode through the door, robes billowing and one hand caked in blood; as Harry slipped out the door, he noticed that the man seemed to be limping, though it could have been a trick of the light.

Whatever the reason, Harry didn't really care.

Not now that he had everything he needed to show Severus Snape why he should _never_ have made an enemy of Harry Potter.

'You thought Dad was bad?' Harry thought to himself as he returned to his dormitory in the Common Room, 'Just you wait…'

_**The Silver Trio**_

The next morning, Harry went down to breakfast as normal with his friends and dorm-mates, though there was an air of confidence in the Silver Trio as they walked into the Great Hall.

When everyone was seated, Harry looked to the Gryffindor Table: as he hoped, there was no sign of Percy _Perfect Prat_ Weasley, but there was a sinister smile on the faces of the Weasley Twins. Down the table, Harry saw Neville Longbottom watching him with a mix of emotions on his face, but before anyone could make any guesses as to why, they were cut off by Professor Dumbledore getting to his feet.

"Before we become enraptured by our morning feast," the Headmaster explained, addressing the room as a whole, "I have some…unfortunate news: late last night, after a joint operation involving the staff and myself, it is my discomforting duty to inform you that there was a casualty last night during the capture of the troll."

Looking to the Gryffindor Table, Dumbledore continued, "Percival Ignatius Weasley, Prefect of Gryffindor and a bright-spirited young man, was found with serious injuries to his legs, pelvis and head in the girls' bathroom on the second floor. What he was doing there, we may never know, but thankfully, we were able to save him from certain death before the troll finished him off. However, this good news was not without a dark cloud: Mr Weasley's injuries also affected his mental and magical state and, due to the trauma of the overwhelming pain he suffered, his core was destroyed, leaving Mr Weasley a Squib…and paralysed from the waist down."

There were looks of horror from the students while, on the staff table, Harry saw Severus Snape's eyes look to him; keeping his face as apathetic as possible, Harry just smirked before, unseen by the others, he mouthed words to Snape as Dumbledore went on about the great loss suffered by Gryffindor.

_Congratulations…you've got my attention._

_**The Silver Trio**_

Later that day, Hogwarts found itself on the receiving end of a visit from the last person that the Silver Trio, namely Ron, wanted to see:

Summoned to Dumbledore's office, Ron went there accompanied by his two friends, the three of them standing united as they spoke the given password and entered the office. If it wasn't for the discomfort of his friend and ally, Harry might have actually been awed and intrigued by the splendour of the office, as well as the beautiful bird-like creature that stood on a golden perch next to Dumbledore's desk.

However, all that Harry felt was a familiar rage and revulsion as he found himself staring at a fairly-rotund woman and a tall, lean man, both of whom had red hair while the woman wore a disgusting-looking jumper and trousers that made her look even more horrible.

As soon as Ron walked in with his friends, the woman let loose with the reason Harry felt his rage: her voice.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Shrieked the woman, Harry then identifying her as Mrs Weasley, Ron's Mother, which made the man Mr Weasley, his Father. "I WARNED YOU WHAT WOULD HAPPEN: NOW PACK YOUR THINGS! YOU ARE OUT OF HOGWARTS AS OF TONIGHT!"

"Gods, do you _ever_ stop yelling?" asked Harry hotly, noticing a familiar smile creeping onto Ron's face as he addressed Mrs Weasley, "You can't do anything to Ron that he doesn't want to do, Mrs Weasley!"

"You stay out of this, you traitor!" Mrs Weasley hissed, but, to everyone's shock, her words were then cut off by Ron as he stepped forwards and, without so much as a care in the world, he slapped the woman hard, his teeth gnashed together in rage.

"Don't you _ever_ speak to him as though he's some mewling quim, you banshee-bitch!" Ron snapped, lifting his hand to strike out again as he hissed, "You've deserved that for a _very_ long time, you pathetic, money-grubbing, humiliating sack of shit!"

"Ron, down!" Harry commanded, surprisingly being obeyed by Ron as he lowered his hand; as Hermione helped Ron return to his friends, Harry continued, "He's not wrong, you know? I mean how _dare_ you try to humiliate your son by listening to the biased beliefs of your brown-nosed peacock! You may call yourself a Mother, Madam Weasley, but right now, you're just an interfering old _cow!_"

Mrs Weasley then made a mistake of her own: she smacked Harry clean across his face.

"You _dare_ poison my son against me, _boy?_" asked Molly, unaware of the look that she was getting from her son; Harry, meanwhile, remained as stone-faced as ever as she continued, "Your parents would be disappointed in you for siding with His lot! It's about time someone put you in your place."

Lifting his head up, Harry turned to face Mrs Weasley, his green eyes now as cold as death as he put on a smile that would have sent a Great White Shark swimming in the other direction.

At the same time, Ron and Hermione both backed down as Harry wiped the spot he'd been hit with the back of his hand before he told Mrs Weasley, "Thank you for doing that, Weasley…I was hoping you would. You see, since coming into our world, I've been honoured, adored, worshipped and respected, but I've never been hit…not really. Then, about two months back now, Ron said something that caught my attention: he said something about the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter."

Next to Molly, who was turning redder and redder at Harry's non-humbled attitude, Mr Arthur Weasley went as white as a sheet as Harry continued, "So, with a little help from a few Slytherin…associates of mine, I did some research and discovered that I am the Last Potter, which also means that all powers politically and otherwise to do with the family fall to me…"

"Not until you turn seventeen, Harry," Dumbledore reasoned, speaking for the first time since they'd set foot in the room.

Here, Harry sniggered as he asked, "And how would _you_ know that, _Headmaster?_ Have you perhaps tried to make yourself responsible for me while I'm in the magical world because my own relatives wouldn't give me the time of day?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth again, but Harry cut him off as he added, "No matter, because you see, another little friend of mine…and, in a way, of Ron's too, then told me that, as of my eleventh birthday, I can act in my stead as Regent Potter until I choose to go to Gringotts _or_ the Ministry and claim my title. So, given that you, a _Madam_ of an Ancient Household, have just actually laid your hands on me without provocation, I think satisfaction is demanded: what say you, Lord Weasley?"

Arthur went even whiter as he felt the magical strength of the Oath of Satisfaction take hold; it was like a strong pull that compelled him to say the next words, "What do you ask, Regent Potter?"

"Just this," Harry answered, again wiping the spot on his face where Molly had hit him as he explained, "Your wife once gave Ron the impression that she'd disown him for staying in Slytherin. Therefore, as Regent to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, I ask that satisfaction be dealt by you _willingly_ surrendering all rights and family responsibilities for Ronald Weasley to me. He will become a ward of House Potter and see _me_ as the head of his family: be thankful I don't ask anything _else_! Now, do you accept?"

"Arthur," shrieked Molly, "Don't you dare!"

But Arthur had seen and heard enough to know that Harry could have done worse;

With a heavy heart, he told Harry, "I accept: as satisfaction for the unprovoked attack on your person, Regent Potter, I, Arthur Stephan Weasley, willingly surrender all patriarchal and familial rights and responsibilities over Ronald Bilius Weasley to House Potter. I only ask that you treat him well."

"He has done so far," Ron replied, feeling his magic tear him away from the Weasley Family Magic and, in the same moment, he felt a strong, almost-brotherly bond form with Harry.

At the same time, the magic of the satisfaction seemed to do more as Ron's hair darkened until it was jet-black, though his fringe had blood-red highlights while his face lost its many freckles and, as though emphasising the point, the magic of the family then cleaned up his robes and made Ron feel truly free of the curse that was Molly Weasley.

As the deed was completed, Harry sniffed once before he told them, "Now, as Ron's _guardian_, I say he's going nowhere: as for you, Mrs Weasley, a warning: touch me again and I will _not_ be so merciful next time!"

With that, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving Molly alone with tears running down her face, as well as Arthur, who watched with an ice-cold feeling in his chest as he knew in that one moment what he needed to do.

He needed to pull his finger out and knuckle down with more responsibility towards being Family Head;

Because next time, Molly's anger could cost him more than the rights to his son:

It could cost him, and the entire family, their freedom, if not, their _lives!_

**Chapter 4 and Harry has gained a brother and shown his enemies that he truly doesn't fear anything, but will there be further retribution or will the Weasleys learn their lesson?**

**Also, what is Harry's plan for Severus and will he take the advice and go on to become Lord Potter or will he toy with his enemies some more first?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: The Season is upon Hogwarts and Harry faces Severus Snape with a stern warning; also, the gang return home, but for Harry, it's a different story as a new friend is made and a certain future assistant to our Silver Prince is introduced; and, to top it all off, Harry receives a strange gift from an anonymous benefactor with a strange message…**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Percy**_

**Okay, so I hope everyone enjoyed Percy's fate and, while I'd like to thank everyone for their suggestions, I'd especially like to thank the guest reviewer 'Tammy' for the idea and Percy's fate: gruesome, maybe, but this is a Dark story;**

_**AN2: Severus**_

**Okay, so now we know what Harry has in mind for Severus, but here's a question: what is the significance of that little plant in the box?**

**Anyone that figures it out gets the next chapter dedicated to them;**

**OC SPELL:**

_**Vespisecta: **_**The Scorpion's Sting Hex: Summons a rain of stingers that can leave infectious pustules on the skin;**


	5. Homeward Bound

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**Ryo-chan wolfgirl: Well the twins are a definite, but as for the other two, I don't know…yet;**

**Tammy: You should have your own account for story ideas like these: they're brilliant and, do you know what? That **_**would**_** make a nice twist for Ginny, so thanks…again;**

**Lord Creeperbrine: As cool as that would be, no;**

**WhiteElfElder: Sometimes it's better to savour justice, vengeance and victory in small pieces;**

**White-Rose-Shadowhunter: Close, but not **_**quite**_** the meaning;**

**Alix33: I'm glad you're enjoying the story;**

**Aria Daughter of Chaos: If you mean over the holidays, then somewhere else: in fact, this chapter reveals all;**

**Daithi4377: Like I pointed out in the last chapter, the Trio have a thing for covering their tracks;**

**DragonTamer01: Who do you think? Luna, of course;**

**Randver: Desperate men – or in her case, women – do desperate things, especially where a manipulative old goat is concerned;**

**Venquine1990: Ah-ha: you'll just have to keep reading to find out, won't you?**

**Hornbugv: Jackpot!**

**StormyFireDragon: Ask and ye shall receive, my dear friend; no, seriously, Storm, I hope you like what I do with Severus here;**

**Loki Palmer: It's funny that you suggest that theme; it'd be a good one to use for a memorial item, wouldn't it?**

**ALSO: This chapter, as promised, is dedicated to Hornbugv for correctly identifying the meaning behind the small plant in Severus' keepsake box;**

_He needed to pull his finger out and knuckle down with more responsibility towards being Family Head;_

_Because next time, Molly's anger could cost him more than the rights to his son:_

_It could cost him, and the entire family, their freedom, if not, their lives!_

Chapter 5: Homeward Bound

When the first snow fell onto the grounds, windows and roofs of Hogwarts, it was a sign for all within that the winter was well and truly here while also signalling times for those in certain circles to extend invitations for balls, parties, gatherings and soirees. In Slytherin, the majority of the House seemed fixed on getting the acceptance of the rapidly-acknowledged Silver Prince and his group of friends.

When the invitations were extended, Harry shot them _all_ down by accepting the very first invitation that was sent to him, namely Draco's from his Father, Lord Lucius Malfoy. He didn't give any reason for accepting this one or denying the others except for the fact that it was his choice and right to do so.

As ward of Harry's family, Ronald was also invited while Hermione, through Harry giving Draco a heads-up, found her invitation being sent and accepted not two days after Harry's had been. This meant that the Silver Trio would be returning home together, though Hermione offered Harry a room at her house if he didn't want to return to his relatives.

When Harry told her that he was returning to them, but he was thankful for her offer, he then pointed out that, technically, he had someone else to watch out for now – Ron – and that meant returning to what passed for home when it was convenient. Though when Hermione asked how Harry was supposed to do anything to keep his relatives in line since they weren't too keen on the ideals of magic, Harry just chuckled before he told her that he had his ways.

Two days before the end of term, Harry decided to deal with one last piece of business now that his calendar was pretty much clear for the remainder of the year. Leaving Ron and Hermione in the Common Room with Draco, Daphne and Tracey, Harry walked through to his private dorm where he gathered the small box from a hidden compartment under his bed – discovered in Harry's third week of term back in September – before, checking that the small plant inside was still there, he made his way out of the Common Room and down towards Professor Snape's office.

"Time to see what your problem is…and _help_ you deal with it," whispered Harry, lifting a hand to the door while he slipped the box into his pocket.

When his knock received the reply that he wanted, Harry stepped into the office, though this time, it was with a slightly-calmer demeanour than last time: when Professor Snape looked up from his work and saw Harry standing there, he scowled as he asked, "Potter! What do you want? I'm busy."

"Well that's too bad," drawled Harry, closing the door behind him with a kick as he added, "Because I told you before, Snape, you've got something you probably thought you weren't going to get: my attention."

"I have no idea what you're…"

"Don't talk a load of dragon crap, Snape," Harry snarled, now drawing the box from his pocket as he smiled coldly before he asked, "Now, what can you tell me about _this_?"

Seeing the box, Severus' eyes widened and his skin went even paler than usual as he looked to the drawer on his desk; as he searched it, Severus looked up again to Harry before he hissed, "Thievery is not tolerated at school, Potter: these are grounds for your expulsion."

"Oh I don't think so, _Half-Blood Prince,_" Harry replied, a cold, shark-like smile crossing his face as he saw Snape's eyes widen even further: he wouldn't have been surprised if they'd fallen from his face.

"What…how…who…"

"You're running out of questions, Snape," Harry scoffed, now pocketing the box once more before he added, "Now, I think it's time that you and I had a little chat and, trust me, if I don't like your answers, I might be tempted to incinerate this little keepsake of yours!"

"_DON'T YOU DARE!_" Severus thundered, his eyes almost glowing with fury as he held out his hand to Harry, "Give it back to me, Potter! What's in there is meaningless to anyone but me!"

"Why?" asked Harry, now looking to Severus with an _almost_-pitying look, "Because it was my Mother that gave it to you?"

Again, Severus' eyes widened as Harry nodded before he explained, "Yes, Severus Snape…or perhaps I should say, Severus _Prince_, I know that the initials LE on this box stand for Lily Evans. Funny: I don't think I've ever heard you mention _her_ when you delight in making me play with you like I enjoy doing."

"Give it _back_, Potter," hissed Severus, but Harry just shook his head.

"No, I don't think I will," Harry replied, now holding up his own hand before he added, "Unless, of course, the box and its vegetation-based contents mean something you're not telling me, Snape."

"You…you opened it?" asked Severus.

"Yep," replied Harry, popping the 'p' almost cheekily as he added, "And here I was thinking you'd have better defences on this thing, Snape. So, what's the story? Is it a private thing from the one and only time a member of my family took pity on you? Or could it be that you actually believe you _loved_ my Mother and then left her because she chose my Father?"

Severus flinched and Harry nodded, "I see: how interesting. Well, onto question two and trust me, this one's not one you want to get wrong: tell me, Severus Snape, what _is_ your problem with me?"

"You…you wouldn't understand," Snape hissed; unfortunately for him, Harry then drew the box before he walked over to a fireplace near the wall.

Looking over at the Potions Master, Harry growled, "Strike one, Snape: care to try again?"

"Don't!" Severus cried, his eyes now showing less apathy and more desperation as he held his hand out once more, "Please, give it to me: I…you wouldn't believe it…I can't tell you…"

"Strike two," Harry replied, summoning flames with his wand as he lit the fireplace, "Get it wrong again and your precious memory becomes kindling!"

Severus' eyes widened with horror as he looked to Harry's green eyes, but instead of a sign that the boy _didn't_ want to do this, there was only a sense of ruthless, fearless rage in his glare. This wasn't a boy that didn't want to destroy a memory that was tied to his parents: this was a boy that didn't _care_ that he was destroying a memory tied to his parents!

"You get one…more…chance," Harry scowled, his eyes as dark as the stones they were infamous for, "What's…your…secret?"

Severus opened his mouth, but then he closed it again, earning a sigh from Harry as he turned to the fireplace, "As you wish…but remember, this was your doing."

He lifted the box, intent on dropping it into the flames, though a part of Severus now loathed the fact that the box was anti-summoning, which was why he hadn't used magic to take it from Harry.

Harry opened his fingers, his grip on the box loosening…

"_IT'S MY FAULT SHE'S DEAD!_"

Harry stopped, his fingers now wrapped around the box as he turned to face Severus, who was actually trembling with fear as he looked to the green-eyed Slytherin standing before him.

Turning his head to one side, Harry asked, "What did you just say?"

"It…it's my fault she's dead," Severus gasped, his eyes now showing tears of loss, remorse and pain as he told Harry, "Lily…your Mother…whom _was_ my best friend and, yes, had things been different, perhaps even my wife. She's dead…because of me!"

"How?" asked Harry, now turning fully towards Severus as he asked, "And what does it have to do with this little seedling in here?"

"That's how we began," Severus explained, his defences that he had spent _years_ making now little more than ashes at his feet as he addressed Harry, "Lily and I both grew up in the town of Cokeworth, close to a road known as Spinner's End. When she was young, perhaps a year or so younger than you, Lily discovered that she was a witch. One day, she showed off her potential to Petunia, who countered her joy by making Lily feel alone in calling her a freak. She chased her up towards this large tree where I had been sitting alone: when I appeared, Petunia backed off, but Lily didn't fear me."

Harry moved a few steps away from the burning fireplace, but only so far that he could return the box to the flames if Snape tried anything.

Severus, meanwhile, looked to said box, held in the hand of this ruthless young wizard, before he continued, "Once we were alone, I showed her that I too had magic by making a small plant fly through the air like a propeller: the two of us became good friends and, under that tree, we displayed our true power by making more and more plants fly, though the Muggles thought that it was the wind."

Here, he pointed to the box as he explained, "Shortly after we started Hogwarts, where she went to Gryffindor and I joined Slytherin, Lily gave me that box and the plant inside, which was that same little seedling that I'd made fly to impress her and cheer her up. It has never wilted or died since that day and, for that, I am thankful: there, now you know: now give it back to me, Potter…_please!_"

"Not before you tell me how it leads to her death," Harry argued, his hand tightening around the box as he felt a sense of actual shame at the fact that he was willing to destroy something his Mother had made herself. If Snape _didn't_ tell him everything, then he'd keep it.

As her son, it belonged in his hands anyway.

"That was years later," Severus told him.

"That doesn't mean I'm letting you off lightly, Snape," Harry growled, his eyes now showing his determination as he told Severus, "Tell me the full story or I'll turn your precious memory into ashes."

Severus was beaten: even worse, he knew it to be so.

Not even James Potter had made him feel this defenceless, not even on the day where Severus had become indebted to the dark-haired mongrel because he had saved Severus' life.

Lowering his head, Severus told Harry, "Please understand: it's not that I don't _want_ to tell you, I do…but, if you knew the truth, then…then your life would be in even greater danger than ever before. Please…Harry…please understand: I'll do anything else, but please…please don't ask me to risk your life the way I risked hers."

Harry let his hand slip towards his pocket where, storing the box safely in its depths, he walked towards Severus, but only so far that he could see and hear the man clearly.

"A compromise, then," Harry told him, earning a look from Severus as he explained, "One day, you'll _have_ to tell me the truth, but until then, I'll respect your privacy and your secrets. It's clear that, for whatever reason you _are_ responsible for her death, you're doing all this because of Mum, so here's my compromise. You _swear_, on her grave, that your hatred with my Father died with him and that you'll now do anything and everything you can to help me become the great wizard I _know_ I am and she would want me to be and, in return, I'll give you back the box."

Severus lifted his head so that he was meeting the boy's eyes, his own eyes filled with a new light as he told Harry, "You…you truly are a Slytherin, Harry Potter."

"So I've been told," Harry replied, his eyes flashing dangerously as he hissed, "Now swear…and it's yours."

"I swear," Severus remarked, his hand placed over his heart as he told Harry, "On Lily's grave, I swear that my…my hatred with her husband, your Father, died with them. I vow to help you, Harry James Potter, and not hinder your training or growth anymore: day or night, any time, any reason, my door is open and my home is your home should you need it."

"That's all I ask," Harry told him, removing the box from his pocket before he added, "Just so you know, Snape…Severus…I was raised by Petunia for the past ten years and she tried to, in her own husband's words, stamp the magic out of me. So, though a certain someone will get the impression I am returning home each holiday, I hope you're prepared to have me and my Trio as house guests practically every summer and more."

"I am," Severus nodded, watching as Harry placed his hand down on the desk, returning the box to its rightful owner.

When Severus opened it and checked on the small plant inside, his eyes widened when he saw a small note written underneath it;

_For what it's worth, I'm sorry he hated you so much when she obviously cared about you_

"Harry…" Severus whispered, looking up to the dark-haired boy.

Harry, however, was long gone, leaving only the dark space of Severus' office and the warm light of the fire.

"Thank you…"

_**The Silver Trio**_

"So, I guess I'll see you all at the Malfoys' party, then?"

"Until then," Harry nodded as Hermione left her two friends alone, both of them watching as their female friend reunited with her parents before she left King's Cross Station, a light snowfall descending on the city.

With a deep sigh, Harry nodded to another part of the station as he told Ron, "Come on, then: might as well get this over with."

"I still find it a nuisance that we can't use magic outside school," muttered Ron as he and Harry walked to one of the entrances where Harry would reunite with his own _family._ "I mean, if you hate them so much, then a few curses here and there wouldn't really be that much of a problem, would it?"

"Ah-ha," Harry smirked, adjusting the collar of his coat as he explained, "But you forget, Ron: _we_ know that we can't use magic outside school, but _they_ don't, do they?"

"Well…" Ron began, before he opened his mouth once more, a sly grin crossing his face as he added, "Oh, I see…very sneaky, Harry."

"That's why there's a snake on my chest," Harry told him, leaving through the entrance before he looked around: however, not to Harry's surprise, there was no sign of Vernon's company car or the overweight blubber-butt waiting impatiently with his nose as red as Rudolph and his piggy eyes watching with hatred.

"So…where is he?" asked Ron, earning a rueful shrug from Harry.

"Dunno," replied the Silver Prince, "But I was half-expecting this to happen: good thing I planned ahead."

Ron was about to ask what Harry meant when a soft voice called out to them from the dark of the alleyway: moving towards the source of the voice, Harry saw a small, grey-skinned creature with smallish ears and soft-blue eyes: the creature was dressed in a small robe with a single grey crown on its crest with a sprig of ivy woven through the crown.

"Master Harry?" asked the creature in a low voice.

"That's me," Harry nodded, then indicating Ron as he added, "And this is Ron: he's my ward."

"Pleasure, Master Ron," the creature replied, giving a bow to both wizards as she – her slightly high-pitched voice indicating that she was female as well as her slightly-lean figure – addressed them both, "I am Asha and I am here at my Master's wishes to take you to his home for the holidays. Please, Masters, take my hands."

As Harry and Ron obliged, they felt the world spinning for a long and awkwardly-uncomfortable moment: when the spinning sensations stopped, Harry got his bearings while Ron appeared to throw up in his mouth before, rather audibly, swallowing it down again as he muttered, "Ugh, I _hate_ Side-Along Apparition."

"It's an acquired taste, apparently," Harry smirked, looking to the house that loomed over them; they were standing in a fairly well-kept garden with many herbs and flowers growing in the garden. In the window of the house, there was a single flower pressed onto the glass: at a closer inspection, Harry saw that the flower was, rather ironically, a lily flower, which told him more than was necessary as to exactly whose house this small creature had brought them to.

"Tell your Master he has our thanks," Harry whispered, watching as Asha provided him with a small silver key, which he assumed was for the door.

"Master says that if Young Masters need anything, then I am to answer their calls," Asha explained, before, with a snap of her fingers, she was gone, leaving a bemused Harry and a stunned Ron.

"Okay," Harry sighed, looking to his friend, "So…who was that?"

"A House Elf," explained Ron, "The servants of wizard-kind and, in many homes and places, they also watch over the buildings and its contents: several families have more than one, but I guess this one has a Master who knows you."

"She does," Harry nodded, placing the key in the lock before he turned it; with a soft click, the door opened and, as Harry stepped inside, he was then aware of a small scrap of parchment appearing as though out of thin air.

"What's this?" asked Ron.

"A charm tied to the key," Harry explained, opening the parchment before he read the information;

_Harry,_

_If this message has appeared, then it means you have gone inside the house: first, let me say this. It is NOT my house, but rather the house owned by your Mother when she and her…family lived in Cokeworth. My home is on the corner of the street around the alleyway from where you are now: when she died, a missive was sent to me giving me ownership of the house._

_I have never set foot in it since that night, and, as her son, it is rightfully yours: Asha has been assigned to the house to obey your will and, when next you return, you will find certain…privileges bestowed on the property._

_Use all that is inside well and never forget that you have a place to go when THEY don't want you._

_Until we meet again,_

_SS_

"Who's it from?" asked Ron.

"Someone who owes me a debt," answered Harry, scrunching the letter up as he added, "The point is that this house is _my_ house now, Ron: come on, let's take a look around."

Closing the door to the house, Harry walked around, exploring every inch of his Mother's childhood haunt, though when the door _did_ close, Harry wasn't aware of a thin veil of magic rising up around the house as though protecting all who dwelled inside.

**Chapter 5 and Harry has gained an ally, a place to call home and, apparently, a means to grow in power, but what will this do to the place he's **_**meant**_** to call home?**

**Also, what did the veil mean and what did Severus mean by 'privileges' in the house?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: The Silver Trio attend the Malfoy Christmas Ball where Harry meets Lucius Malfoy: also, Harry receives a strange gift from an anonymous benefactor with a strange message while Hermione has a wish for the leader of their Trio;**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Lily's home**_

**Okay, so I hope you all enjoyed this nice little surprise; I planned on giving Harry a place to stay away from the Dursleys while also being close to friends and allies, but I didn't want to go down the typical Lord Potter angle of most stories, so this seemed like the next best thing;**

_**AN2: Harry's ruthlessness**_

**I hope you all liked the lengths that Harry was willing to go to in order to get his answers: for those thinking that maybe he's a bit heartless in his decisions, remember that it is his choice to be something **_**other**_** than 'Lily and James' son' and 'The Boy-Who-Lived' as this challenge dictates from the start;**


	6. Into Darkness

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: Get ready, Storm, because here is where the darkness really picks up;**

**Tammy Three Pegs: Thanks for taking my advice; if you need any more recommended reads, go and check out my favourites list: also, I hope you enjoy the chaos that is to come;**

**EndlessChains: Yeah, but don't expect sentimentality all the time: now, the real adventure begins;**

**Demigod of Nyx: The world's most dangerous place in all existence: my imagination;**

**Oleg212: I like the idea and it would have merit, but I have my own idea for how the trio will side with Tom;**

**Daithi4377: Funny you mention truths, because a big one is about to be revealed about our anti-hero;**

**Nicholas Ruien: I think you might enjoy this chapter and the next one, then;**

_Closing the door to the house, Harry walked around, exploring every inch of his Mother's childhood haunt, though when the door did close, Harry wasn't aware of a thin veil of magic rising up around the house as though protecting all who dwelled inside._

Chapter 6: Into Darkness

By the time that Harry and Ron had finished exploring the home that they now called theirs – or, as Ron pointed out, Harry's – it was getting close to 10pm and, as Harry returned to the lounge, he was both amused and surprised to find a warm meal ready in front of the fire.

Over their dinner, Harry leaned one arm casually on the arm of his chair before he clicked his tongue as he asked, "Ron, can I be honest with you for a minute?"

"Sure," Ron answered, looking up from his supper as he asked, "What's on your mind, Harry?"

"This is my Mum's house," Harry explained, indicating around the room with a gesture of his hand, though his expression was remarkably neutral as he continued, "And, for all the feelings that I can feel inside me in being here, the one thing I don't feel is any sort of loyalty or devotion towards her or my Father. Does…well, it's a bit of a stupid question and I hope you never tell anyone I asked this, but…does that make me a bad person?"

"No," Ron answered quickly, setting down his knife and fork as he explained, "And don't worry: I won't tell anyone you were asking about it. No, Harry: it doesn't make you a bad person to feel nothing for your Mother or your Father: after all, no offence meant and I hope you don't curse me later for this, but you were only a year-and-a-half…well, almost anyway when they died. Any memories or joy you have in you isn't from them: it's from the respect and awe-inspired admiration that you get from our allies in Slytherin. I mean, let's face it: you certainly didn't get any delights from those Muggle mongrels, right?"

"Right," nodded Harry, taking another bite of his food before he added, "Personally-speaking, I'm looking forwards to the day that I _can_ return to Privet Drive, point my wand at those three freaks of nature and, if I'm feeling kind, I'll just kill them. Otherwise, I'll torment them and make them beg for my mercy before stringing them up and…"

"I get it," Ron cut him off with a laugh, earning a soft sigh from Harry as he asked, "Wow, Harry: I knew you didn't like them, but it's almost like you actually _mean_ what you'd say in that you'd kill them. Like you've dreamt of nothing but for a very long time."

"I have," Harry replied: it wasn't a boast or a sarcastic response: in fact, Ron visibly shivered when he saw that Harry's eyes shone dangerously as he said the words.

"W…" Ron felt his breath catch in his throat before he asked in a hoarse voice, "Since when?"

"Since I discovered that I was a wizard," explained Harry, looking over at Ron as he told him, "Surely you didn't just think of me as some brooding figure, did you, Ron?"

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but it was then that he remembered something that Hermione had said;

_Flashback Start_

"_There's more to him than meets the eye."_

"_Not only that," Ron reasoned, leaning forwards in his seat as he explained, "But I get this feeling that there's something he's not telling us: I mean, I don't want to pry because…because he's trusted us enough to call us his friends, but Harry's nothing like the image that any of us had when we thought of the son of Lily and James Potter."_

"_Maybe there's a reason for that," Hermione suggested, then noticing Daphne, Tracey and, from the boys' side, Draco all appearing in the Common Room; lowering her voice, Hermione then added, "Whatever it is, it's something that Harry himself has dealt with. It's not our place to pry, Ronald: last night proved something to me and I don't just mean our becoming Slytherins."_

"_What do you mean?" asked Ron._

"_I mean," Hermione answered, watching as Daphne gave a curt nod while Draco just sneered as he left the Common Room, undoubtedly making a slow trip towards the Great Hall, "That for now, the three of us are on our own. This lot want Harry to be the Boy-Who-Lived, but right now, we're the only ones who see him as Harry."_

"_So…we need to show others that too?" asked Ron, earning a shake of the head from Hermione, "Then what?"_

"_We need to let Harry show others that too," Hermione answered, looking to the boys' corridor where said green-eyed wizard was returning; leaning in close to Ron, Hermione dropped her voice as she told him, "If we've somehow become a trio, then I think we can both agree who the number one is out of the three of us…him."_

_Flashback End_

And they _had_ become a Trio!

Ever since the battle with the elder years in the Pit and, afterwards, in the moment that they had dealt damage to Percy Weasley and taken care of an obstacle in their way, Harry, Ron and Hermione had been a Trio. The other two had followed Harry, who led by example, but now, here, in this house; Harry was apparently finally speaking his mind and showing just who he was.

Heaving a sigh, Ron shook his head as he told Harry, "You're anything but normal, Harry: both Hermione and I could see that right from the off. So why, exactly, did you decide that you'd get your jollies in watching the Muggles cower before you?"

At this, Harry smiled before he told his friend, "That, my dear Ronald, is something that I shall speak of only once and, since Hermione's not here, now is not the time for me to say it."

With that, Harry moved his plate aside before he sighed deeply as he added, "For now, I'm not all that hungry, so I'm just going to go and call it a night: have any room except the master one as yours and, well, see you in the morning."

"See you," Ron replied, watching as Harry left the room, leaving the Slytherin red-head alone with the flickering fires and a half-empty plate of food, his eyes now on the plate before he looked deeply into the flames.

"Bloody hell, Hermione," Ron whispered to no-one in particular, "How did you know?"

_**The Silver Trio**_

The Malfoy Christmas Ball was to be held on Christmas Eve night, which, for Harry, made it easy to plan things in the run-up to the ball itself: on his first day of the holidays, Harry took Ron to Diagon with a little help from Asha and, visiting Gringotts, Harry told the goblin that saw them that Ron was to be given access to the fortunes of House Potter.

After that, the two paid a visit to Madam Malkin's to order their dress robes for the ball: at the same time, Harry called on Asha to bring Hermione to them. When the third member of the Trio arrived, Harry went on to pay for all three sets of dress robes and, when Hermione made an argument, Harry just shrugged before he went on to look at some new more-casual robes and attire for day-to-day wear.

While Harry was window shopping, Ron looked to Hermione as he asked, "Did we bother you at all?"

"No," replied Hermione, "Mum and Dad are at the surgery, so I was left in the house alone: honestly, Ron: I wonder why I didn't come with you and Harry. At least then, I wouldn't have been alone: speaking of Harry, is he okay?"

"He wants to talk to us soon," Ron explained, watching as Harry picked out some clothes in shades of blue and grey and black, including a cloak that looked to be the exact same colour as his eyes.

"About?" asked Hermione.

In a hushed voice, Ron told Hermione about what he and Harry had talked about the night before, though he also told Hermione that they weren't at the Muggles' house, but a place that had been given to Harry and once belonged to his Mother. When Hermione heard about Harry's violent wish for his relatives, she couldn't resist looking to the young Slytherin as he paid for the total amount of their things.

"He must _really_ hate them to wish that on them," Hermione whispered, earning a low snigger from Ron before she asked, "What's your opinion on this?"

"Exactly what you once said," Ron explained, earning a curious look from Hermione, "About us being a Trio? If that's the case, and I'm starting to believe that it is, then Harry's the leader of our little pack and what he says…well, not so much what he says goes, but you get what I mean."

Hermione nodded before Ron then added, "Anyway, he's not alone: I mean, my dust-bunny-brained Mother threatened to disown me and, when Harry offered an out, she actually tried to stop Dad from accepting, so I know what it means to want to hurt someone."

"But…isn't that Dark?" asked Hermione, earning a laugh from Ron.

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger, the Slytherin?" he asked dryly, earning a roll of the eyes from Hermione before he continued, "You knew this was coming, Hermione: you were the one that said we support Harry and let him show others that he's not the Boy-Who-Lived and, as Harry once told me, if that means he's going to become a Dark Wizard, then so be it. I won't abandon him now: what about you? Are you _really_ the same Hermione who wanted to prove a point or are you just another insensitive little Mudblood who thinks she knows everything?"

Hermione's eyes widened before, to the shock of both her and Ron, Harry's voice spoke from just next to Ron as he asked, "I do hope you're not using that word in Hermione's direction, Ron? She's not like the others: she's one of us."

"I know that, Harry," Ron nodded, following Harry out of the shop with Hermione next to the dark-haired Slytherin. "It's just that she seems to be having trouble accepting what we're becoming."

"Are you?" asked Harry, now looking to Hermione with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Hermione looked right into Harry's eyes and, with a deep sigh, she shook her head before she told him, "No, Harry: I just…I guess I couldn't imagine what sort of fate you might need to endure in order to wish pain on those who aren't of our world."

As Harry smiled, Hermione put her hand in his before, using her other hand, she placed Ron's on top of hers and Harry's moved to the very top as she explained, "Of course I'm still the same Hermione you know: nothing's dividing us now, especially not since it's clear, as it has been for a long time, that the three of us stand together with one sole purpose."

"What's that?" asked Harry and Ron together.

"You," Hermione answered, indicating Harry as she told him, "Our purpose is to make you the great wizard that they keep slandering you with that stupid, childish nickname about; only this time, it won't be a title that makes you great. When you become great, you will stand tall and stride across the skin of this world with your enemies at your feet and your army at your back. That, Harry, is the purpose of the Trio: to have you, our leader and friend, as the Apex Predator around here no matter who says or does what."

Ron looked bemused, but Harry just smiled as he laughed, "Do you know something, Hermione? I think that's the first time I've ever heard someone call me that."

"The Apex Predator?" asked Ron, earning a nod from Harry.

"Is that bad?" asked Hermione.

"No," smiled Harry, his green eyes glowing with magical strength as he told them, "On the contrary, I like it…I like it a lot."

_**The Silver Trio**_

Though local weather reports hadn't given any signs of the change in the forecast, Harry, Ron and Hermione were still awed and amazed when they were dropped off at the end of a long pathway that led up towards a grand-looking manor estate. The reason for their surprise and awe was because, as they passed through the gates, the magic of the house shifting around them like they were little more than smoke, a light, soft snowfall began to descend on the grounds around them.

Walking through the whitewashing of the gardens and pathways, Harry adjusted the collar of his dress robes, which were a deep jade-green colour that honoured his Slytherin colours while Ron wore a plain black set of robes with green highlights. As for Hermione, she wore a silver gown with a lace tied around her neck and arms like a serpent coiling around a snake charmer's body.

Reaching the front of the house, Harry looked to his friends before he asked, "What time did the invite say this would be over?"

"Around midnight," explained Ron, scoffing lightly as he added, "But I've heard talks of the Malfoy Family parties: they have a tendency to still go on when the sun comes up the next morning."

With a hum of mutual agreement, Harry stepped onto the porch where, lifting his hand, he knocked lightly, the sound of his knocking causing the doors to open, a low, but serene-sounding piano tune emanating from within. As the gang stepped inside, Harry was then aware of a pair of eyes watching him from just beyond the entrance: as they stepped into the entrance hall, the eyes revealed themselves to be attached to a pale-skinned, light-blonde-haired young gentleman that was dressed in a suit of navy-blue dress robes, a black cane held in one hand with a snake motif at the top of the cane.

Remembering the books that he'd read on the subject in the run-up to the holidays, Harry stopped and, giving a courteous bow of respect, he asked softly, "Lord Malfoy, I presume? It is an honour to meet you: on behalf of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, I thank you for your invitation."

"And on behalf of the Noble House of Malfoy, I thank you for your acceptance, Regent Potter," replied the Malfoy Lord, his voice, Harry noted, as low as Severus' though it held a slight drawl to it much like Draco's.

As Harry lifted himself up again, he was then aware of the calm, pale-blue colour of the Malfoy Lord's eyes looking to Harry's companions with mixed expressions and signals being sent between them before, at long last, the man then continued, "Mr Weasley, Miss Granger: welcome to my home. It surprises me to see both a Weasley and a Muggle-born student in Slytherin, but this is an age of change."

"Thank you, Lord Malfoy," Ron and Hermione chorused, the dark-red-haired man mirroring Harry's bow while Hermione curtsied politely, earning a soft smirk from Harry as he watched the Malfoy Lord's reaction.

Finally, with the introductions done, the head of the Malfoys stepped down from his stairway and, standing just inches from Harry, he then explained, "Draco has told me much of your sense of honour and your avarice for power and strength, Mr Potter: I look forwards to seeing you in my home again. While you are here, I give you my word of honour that no harm shall befall you and, within my perimeters, your wands are safe from the Trace that all underage magic users are given. Now, if you'll follow me, I will show you to the ballroom where your friends are waiting to meet you."

As Harry followed in the Malfoy Lord's steps, he looked to Ron with an air of interest before he asked softly, "Interesting; that bit about our wands being immune to the Trace, isn't it?"

"Maybe he does it for a reason," suggested Hermione, earning a shrug from Harry as they were led through a large pair of doors and into a room that, while it wouldn't have put the Great Hall to shame size-wise, it was still magnificent to behold. White fir trees were set around the hall in a border of wintry wonders while the ceiling appeared to have been enchanted just for this one night, the snow from outside now falling on the trees and plants.

Other than the decorations, Harry also noticed silver-forged candelabra holding blue-flame candles in their sockets, the shine of the flames creating a chilled-out, but serene atmosphere that bathed everything and everyone in the hall in an eerie wintry glow. Along the back wall, there was a table that was laden with food and drinks while the music that Harry, Ron and Hermione had heard upon entering was revealed to be coming from a stage above the food area where an orchestra of instruments were being played magically.

The floor space of the hall was filled with people and, as Harry was seen by a few of these people, there were whispers and a few pointing gestures, both of which only sought to annoy the future Lord Potter, but he didn't let his discomfort disgrace his honour.

Instead, he and the Trio made their way over to where a familiar head of blonde hair was standing with a pair of other familiar faces: Draco was standing between Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass, both of whom gave polite waves as they saw the Trio approaching.

Exchanging pleasantries with the group – which involved, to the shock of the others, Harry politely kissing the back of both Daphne and Tracey's hands – Harry heaved a sigh before he looked around, noticing a few older-looking people and even adults, some of whom he didn't recognise.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry let out a soft chuckle as he asked Draco, "You know something, Draco? Given how popular your Father is with the Ministry and such, I'd have thought more would attend including, perhaps, the Minister himself…or was I mistaken?"

"No, you weren't," Draco answered, giving Harry a soft nudge as he added, "Father operates two soirees over the Season: an official one on the eve of the new year and this one tonight, which is more…shall we say, by invitation only and, even then, you have to get on the list."

"Any particular reason?" asked Harry, watching as a few of the older members of the crowd started giving him, Ron and Hermione searching and, in a few cases, warning glares.

"You'll see," Draco sniggered, his voice low as he told Harry, "I attended my first one of these last year when I'd turned ten, but this is the first time that others from Hogwarts have been here."

"And the only reason that I'm here is because I told Mum and Dad that Tracey invited me to spend the night at hers and the Davis elders confirmed it," Daphne then explained, earning a curious look from Harry as she added, "Well, if they knew what we were really getting up to tonight, we'd probably never see any of you guys again."

"What you're really…" Hermione began, but she was cut off when the doors to the hall closed and, at the top end of the hall where the guys had walked in, Lord Lucius Malfoy stood on high, the music silenced and the lights making him look like a frozen phantom as he faced the crowd.

"Welcome my friends and partners in the Craft," Lucius remarked, his voice clear, but still holding that darkened tone, "Tonight, I see several new faces and a few old friends whom have drug themselves out of the woodwork to be here. On this night, the Winter's Moon following the majestic Winter Solstice, we gather to indulge ourselves in that which we were once known for. Now, as you may see, we have some young members whom, to the shock of many, I'm sure, have made the List and join us here to prove their worth and use that which the world would deny them: power!"

"Oh sweet Morgana!" gasped Harry, the realisation dropping down on him as though someone had dropped a dragon down on top of him.

"And so, my friends," Lucius went on, "Until the hour of darkness: eat, drink, socialise and be merry. The night is young, but the darkness that holds it is eternal!"

With that, he stepped down amidst applause and cheers and, as Harry, Ron and Hermione watched, Lucius wandered over to where the Silver Trio were watching with bated breath as they saw him smile at them.

"Enjoy the night, children," Lucius remarked, earning a glare from Harry as he looked right into Lucius' eyes, "And here's hoping you get your chance, Mr Potter. From what I've been told, you're quite ruthless when it comes to the Arts."

"And what Arts would those be, Lord Malfoy?" asked Harry.

With a cold smile, Lucius answered in a calm, haunting tone, "You _know_ what arts, Mr Potter: for so long, you have hungered: Draco has told me this…"

Harry glared at Draco as Lucius went on, the eyes of the Malfoy Heir now lowering as Harry's glare gave new meaning to the term _if looks could kill_.

"But you need not worry," Lucius then explained, his voice tinged with amusement as he told Harry, "Tonight, the dark is rich and you, Mr Potter, as well as your…associates, may feed well from the bounties of the Dark. Have fun."

Then, with a curt nod of his head, Lucius turned on his heel and left the Trio with their friends, though not before Harry turned to Draco and, with that killing stare in his eyes, he asked, "So when were we going to find out about this?"

"You weren't," Draco replied, before he cleared his throat as he explained, "That is, you weren't meant to know before you got here: the Dark Night Gathering is a secret, sacred gathering and, if you're invited, it means that Father _and_ his associates all trust you to keep schtum as the Muggles might say about this."

"And you told him we'd be interested?" asked Harry, earning a shake of the head from Draco.

"No," he answered, pointing a single finger at Harry as he explained, "I said _you'd_ be interested, Harry…I never expected Weasley and Granger to follow you like they usually do, but you insisted that you either attend together or not at all."

"We're not scared of the Dark," Ron scowled, remembering the way that Harry had gone purely dark on both Cassie Moon and his ex-brother, Percy, not to mention what Hermione had done to Higgs in her battle with him.

"You might just live to regret those words, Weasley," Daphne whispered, her voice barely audible over the music, though the Trio could see that she looked as anxious as everyone else.

_**The Silver Trio**_

The second part of the Gathering was held in a secret 'bunker' underneath the manor that, to Harry's amusement, was located underneath a trap door beneath the stage where the orchestra had been playing their music in the party.

Entering the underground area, Harry was almost-immediately reminded of the Slytherin Pit as he saw the similar gladiator-arena-like seating as well as the wards that kept the observers safe from harm. As everyone took their seats, Harry noticed his elder-year Slytherins, Peregrine Derrick, Marcus Flint and Lucian Bole were also in attendance, though when the Prefect and two elder-years saw Harry, they paled dramatically.

"I think they're afraid," Harry whispered, earning a snigger from the other two before another figure pushed past Harry.

"Watch it, new-blood," snarled a tall man who looked like he might have just recently left school: the man was also a veteran of the arena as he had his fair share of scars on one side of his face while two of his fingers had been replaced by magical prosthetics.

"Why don't you take your own advice?" asked Harry hotly, earning a snigger from the tall man as he faced Harry.

"Put your wand where your mouth is, _Potter!_" hissed the stranger, earning a cold smile from Harry.

"Ladies first."

"That's enough," Lucius' voice cut through their argument; as the man left Harry and his friends alone, Lucius faced the emerald-eyed Slytherin as he told him, "Mr Potter, there are many here you may challenge, of course, but trust me when I tell you that Tristen Nott isn't one of them."

"Theo's Dad?" asked Ron, earning a shake of the head.

"Theo's cousin," explained Draco, who had doubled back to see what the trouble was, "He left Hogwarts in his first year and has since attended Durmstrang until the past summer: he's ruthless, but he's also someone that many would come to fear if they knew him."

"Funny," Harry drawled, "Because I don't fear him. Anyway, he's the one who issued the challenge, so if he wants to make good on it, then let him."

Lucius opened his mouth to offer advice, but Draco cut him off as he explained, "Father, don't: one thing I've learned in my three months with Harry is that he doesn't make threats or promises of any sort if he can't back it up."

Lucius sighed and, as Harry, Ron and Hermione took their seats, the eyes of the young wizard now on the arena as Lucius once again took centre stage.

"And now, for the reason we're all here," Lucius explained, addressing the crowd of apparently blood-thirsty witches and wizards like an ringmaster might address a circus audience. "Tonight is a night for feuds to be settled, scores to be evened and justice to be dealt. As such, once in this arena, it is all over one way or another: currently, we have a grievance duel between the Houses of Fairchild and Wilkins for the act of causing the death of an underage witch. However, it has come to my attention that a challenge has been issued: Tristen Nott, you are the one that instigated the challenge and your opponent has told me that, if you still wish it done, then he will accept: what is your answer?"

"I accept!" Tristen snarled, his eyes looking to Harry with lust and greed as he laughed, "Anything to take down the little twerp that destroyed the glory of the Dark. And when I do, I think I'll take his little Mudblood bitch for my own: she looks nice enough."

Draco slapped his forehead while Harry, wrapping his hand around his wand, just hissed back, "I'll be waiting."

With that, the events began and, for starters, it was the _grievance duel_ between Lord Fairbank and, to Harry's surprise, _Lady_ Wilkins, the sharp-eyed female moving with the grace and deadly ambition of a hawk as she cursed, hexed, jinxed and set-up her opponent for the inevitable.

Right from the word go, Lord Fairbank didn't seem to realise that he'd be facing the matriarch of the family and, when he opted for a reprieve, Lady Wilkins gave him one _in her daughter's name_ by uttering two words:

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

The green flash lit up the arena; at the same time, Ron and Hermione felt Harry tense up, his eyes glued to the arena as he saw the flash over and over again in the back of his mind. Even when his name was called and the bout with Tristen Nott was to begin, Hermione could still see the way that Harry moved.

It wasn't calm, controlled or even sarcastic anymore: now, Harry moved like a predator and, unfortunately, his prey was the arrogant Tristen Nott.

And why did he move with such deadly elegance?

Easy: because, after ten years, Harry _finally_ had the name and power of his parents' murderer's curse locked away in his mind.

And it made him hungrier, deadlier and more-bloodthirsty than either member of the Silver Trio had seen him.

But, unknown to the Trio and those watching, some of whom jeered as they saw Harry just standing there, it also made him more dangerous as this, this one thing, this one curse…_this_ was the reason that he had chosen the path of darkness all those months ago.

And now it was time to show them what Harry Potter gone Dark _really_ looked like.

'Thank you, Lucius,' thought Harry as he saluted his opponent, ready for the start of the battle, 'For this opportunity…now, enjoy the show!'

**Chapter 6 and it seems that Harry is about to show them all what he **_**really**_** looks like underneath his mask of apathy: will they like what they see?**

**Also, why did Lucius really invite Harry to this dark night's event? What's he hoping to gain?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: The **_**real**_** Harry Potter is revealed for the Dark to see; plus, Ron and Hermione consider their futures and make a final decision; and, to top it all off, it's back to Hogwarts, where a certain someone waits to meet the Dark Prodigy;**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Dark Night Gathering**_

**Now, this idea actually came from the story **_**Blood and Inheritance**_** by Misty Glow: it's an amazing Dark Harry story and the scene had inspiration written all over it; plus, when I said in the challenge that someone would help release the darkness in our heroes, this is along the lines of what I had in mind…**


	7. I am Darkness

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**EndlessChains: He knows more than a certain curse or have you forgotten all the studying he's been doing?**

**Demigod of Nyx: Nott is about to learn what sort of man Harry is;**

**Aria Daughter of Chaos: For now, he's still a Weasley: all that's been surrendered is Arthur's right to call himself Ron's dad; his blood and family connections are still there: faint, but still there;**

**Loki Palmer: It's going to be a massacre…and that's before Harry does that which we know canon-Harry would never do;**

**Venquine1990: Well I checked it out and, you're right, you have gotten better, so well done;**

_The green flash lit up the arena; at the same time, Ron and Hermione felt Harry tense up, his eyes glued to the arena as he saw the flash over and over again in the back of his mind. Even when his name was called and the bout with Tristen Nott was to begin, Hermione could still see the way that Harry moved._

_It wasn't calm, controlled or even sarcastic anymore: now, Harry moved like a predator and, unfortunately, his prey was the arrogant Tristen Nott._

'_Thank you, Lucius,' thought Harry as he saluted his opponent, ready for the start of the battle, 'For this opportunity…now, enjoy the show!'_

Chapter 7: I am Darkness

**AUTHOR'S WARNING: Graphic descriptions and character death in this chapter**

_**4 ½ Months Earlier**_

"Dear Mr Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Harry's eyes widened as he read the information from Hagrid's letter: magic?

Magic was real!

And, according to what he had been told, Harry had magic, which was how all those strange and unusual things had happened whenever he was angry or scared. There was a place he'd finally be welcomed as a wizard instead of just some unwanted freak or abomination!

It seemed too good to be true and yet, it was true.

"You'll _not_ be going, I tell you!" hissed Vernon Dursley, earning a look from Harry that might actually have been mistaken for disbelief: as if he could stop him?

As Vernon squared up to Harry, towering over him with his usual obese girth, he then faced Hagrid as he spat, "We _swore_ when we took him in that we'd put a stop to all this _rubbish!_"

Little did Vernon, Petunia or Dudley Dursley realise that, with that one sentence, Harry had officially stopped considering his Uncle as family: instead, he just looked to Petunia as he asked, "You mean you knew? You knew all this time and you never told me?"

"Of course we knew," replied Petunia, her voice holding its usual venomous tongue whenever she talked about Harry's parents, "How could you not be? My _perfect_ sister being who she was!"

'Mum and Dad had magic as well?' thought Harry, a hint of dark malice and hatred now taking root within him as he listened to his Aunt.

"Oh, my Mother and Father were so…_proud_ the day she got her letter," sneered Petunia, putting on a mocking tone as she remarked, "_We have a witch in the family: isn't it wonderful?_ But I was the only one who saw her for what she was: a _freak!_"

Harry's eyes narrowed while the dark hint that had taken root inside him suddenly started to bloom: of course, it all made sense when he thought about it.

"And then she met that _Potter_," scowled Petunia, glaring at Harry as though he'd come into her _perfect_ house covered head-to-foot in seven different kinds of crap and started throwing it about willy-nilly. "And then she had you and I _knew_, yes, I knew you'd be the same: just as strange, just as…_abnormal!_"

The dark seed in Harry was now fixed in place: how _dare_ this human deny him his birth-right just because he was different…because _it_ was different!

"And then if you please," Petunia seethed, "She went and got herself _blown up_ and we got landed with you!"

"Blown up?" asked Harry, unaware of his clenched fists, but more than aware of Pig Junior – Dudley – eyeing the cake that Hagrid had brought, "You told me that my parents died in a car crash!"

"A car crash?" asked Hagrid, earning a look from Harry, though the seed had bloomed with the lie as he asked, "A car crash kills Lily and James Potter?"

"We had to say something," Petunia replied, speaking as though she didn't much care: unbeknownst to her, it was the worst mistake that she could have made as Harry, listening to the conversation between the adults, felt rage, fury, hatred and an even greater sense of humiliation and disgust than he had ever felt before now fuse itself with his soul.

They'd lied to him…they'd treated him like the scum on his shoes…they'd let their whale son and his friends beat on him…they locked him up like an animal…they made him their slave!

And all this time, all this _entire_ time, Harry James Potter had the power to turn around, to say no, to go to places that these…these _freaks_ could only ever dream of going to.

No: this would _never_ happen again.

"He'll not be going!" Vernon insisted, earning another disbelieving look from Harry while Hagrid chuckled dryly.

"And I suppose a great Muggle like yourself is going to stop him, are you?" asked Hagrid, now earning a confused look from Harry.

"Muggle?"

"Non-magic folk," Hagrid replied, his tone calmer with Harry than it was with the Dursleys as he went on, "This boy's had his name down ever since he was born: he'll be going to the finest witchcraft and wizardry school in the world _and_ he'll be under the finest headmaster that Hogwarts has ever seen: Albus Dumbledore!"

Something about the name had warning bells ringing in Harry's mind as he wondered what sort of person this Dumbledore was to let him rot away in the darkness like this.

At the same time, Vernon spoke up again as he told Hagrid, "I'm not paying to have some crackpot old fool teach him magic tricks!"

Hagrid seemed to go to a place he didn't like and, as Harry watched, Hagrid lifted the umbrella he carried before he whispered in a soft, dangerous voice, "Never…insult…Albus Dumbledore…in front of me."

With a glance to Dudley, who had started helping himself to the cake without even waiting to be offered, Hagrid made a gesture with his umbrella and, to Harry's amusement, Dudley was given a tail that matched the rest of his piggy appearance.

As the Dursleys cried in terror and disbelief, Hagrid gave Harry a searching look before he told him, "Oh I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts about that: strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to do magic."

When Harry nodded, he watched as Hagrid went to leave and, when the large man asked him if he'd rather stay, Harry made a decision:

He'd go with Hagrid.

He'd learn about magic.

Then, one day, maybe months from now or maybe years, he would come back and make the Dursleys sorry for how they'd treated him.

With a hurried step, Harry ran after Hagrid…

_**The Silver Trio**_

"Ah, Hagrid: usual, I presume?"

"No thanks, Tom: I'm on official Hogwarts business," replied Hagrid, clapping a giant hand to Harry's shoulder while the young boy buckled uncomfortably: his discomfort only increased when Hagrid explained, "Just helping young Harry here buy his school supplies."

'Subtlety isn't your strong point, Hagrid,' thought Harry as the bartender openly declared his name, the look on his face almost like he was looking at a ghost. As the patrons of the hidden bar introduced themselves to Harry, the green-eyed wizard felt shame and disgust rise up inside him: how dare these people approach him when them and their world hadn't been there for him before now?

When the stammering Professor Quirrell introduced himself, Harry actually looked at him with a keen eye: he didn't say anything – why should he when they only saw some sort of hero/idol of their world? – But when he looked at Quirrell, Harry almost found himself looking at someone he could consider a kindred spirit.

Then there was his stammer: something about it had Harry on alert: he'd heard, and used, his own fearful stammer once before, so he knew how it was meant to sound and, personally-speaking, it was almost like Quirrell was either truly terrified of everything or he was putting it on and milking it for all it was worth.

When Hagrid took Harry away from the man, the green-eyed wizard couldn't resist one last look at the professor with a smirk playing on his lips, which went unseen by Hagrid.

He'd have to keep an eye on him…

_**The Silver Trio**_

"That's why you're famous: that's why everyone knows your name: you are the Boy Who Lived!"

'And the prize for World's Stupidest Title goes to…' thought Harry as he finished the light dinner that Hagrid had bought him: all through the Alley, he'd been watched, observed and looked upon like this great hero that the world of magic seemed to want him to be.

The one time that he hadn't been was when he was in Gringotts and the goblin had looked down at him with a searching, keenly-interested eye, but other than that, everyone else knew him, knew who he was and, apparently, who he was meant to be.

No: that _couldn't_ happen.

Now, after hearing the story about how it was, exactly that they knew his name and who he was, Harry felt conflicted: apparently, he had survived some dark curse when his parents had died and, after that, the world had chosen to forget about him for ten years. Yet when he came back, they all fawned over him and treated him like some sort of Messiah walking amongst the masses.

Their hero-worship of him, more than anything, made Harry sick.

When Hagrid informed Harry of how he would get back to Privet Drive while the large man had to make his way to Hogwarts to deal with the _business_ he'd had to take care of inside Gringotts, the green-eyed wizard waited for him to leave before, scoffing lightly, he whispered, "You think I'm going back to prison? Forget that!"

Slipping into his innocent expression, Harry approached the bar where Tom the bartender looked down at him with a warm, friendly smile, his eyes shining brightly as he asked, "Can I help you, Mr Potter?"

"I'd like a room until the end of summer, please," replied Harry, giving Tom his most-innocent expression: to his surprise, it seemed to work as the man gave him a private room and told him that, for the mistake he'd made earlier in outing Harry to the world, the boy could stay for free.

That, unbeknownst to everyone except Harry, was the official beginning of the end of the so-called Boy-Who-Lived:

Now, there was only Harry…

_**The Silver Trio**_

_**Present Day**_

'And I've never looked back,' Harry thought to himself as his mind recalled how and why he had embraced the darkness of his own magic, heart and soul, 'The world wants a hero, but what they _really_ want is someone to be the answer to their problems. But with my being sorted into Slytherin, I soon showed them that their precious _Boy-Who-Lived_ died long ago.'

As the door to the arena opened and Harry stepped forwards, he took a deep breath before he mused, 'The Light abandoned me: I don't fear the Dark in me because I was practically born into it: now, it's time for me to show them what Harry Potter can _really_ do.'

As Tristen Nott stepped in the other side of the arena, Harry heard Lucius address the spectators over the roar of his own thoughts and power yearning to be set free, "This shall be a simple wizard's duel that ends with a yield: Mr Potter, since Mr Nott has asked terms, what is your counter?"

"When he is left at my mercy," Harry replied, his eyes looking straight across at Nott, "He will be _mine!_"

Nott just sneered before the duel began and, as Harry had half-expected, Nott lifted his wand before he commanded, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

The gasps of horror that spread through the arena did little more than annoy Harry as he moved with quickness and agility, dodging the curse as he drew his own wand, his eyes flashing dangerously as he hissed, "You _really_ shouldn't have done that."

"Indeed not, Mr Potter," Lucius remarked, his voice cutting through the roars of disqualification and forfeit: silencing the crowds with a blast from his own wand – which Harry noticed he kept hidden in the snake head of his cane – Lucius continued, "By using the Killing Curse alone in a duel between wizards for little more than honour and pride, Mr Nott has forfeited his rights to the battle: unless, of course, you wish this to be a duel to the finish, Potter?"

"Am I backing down?" asked Harry, now aiming his wand at Nott as he commanded, "_Brachifringe!_"

The Bone Blasting Curse struck the arena wall near Nott, who had dodged it easily, though he smiled like a shark smelling blood in the water as he laughed, "You will _regret_ that decision, Potter: _Crucio!_"

The dark witches and wizards in attendance had half-expected screams of pain and terror to leave Harry's lips: however, each and every one of them were surprised beyond belief when Harry, twitching only once as though stumbling, looked up before he sneered, "Mmm…kind of tickles: _Vespisecta!_"

Once again, the stingers flew from his wand, but once again, Nott dodged them, his eyes filled with rage as he thundered, "How is it you resist that curse, Potter?"

"Just lucky, I guess," replied Harry, firing off another round of stingers, one of which caught Nott on his leg, causing the flesh to swell up as Harry added, "But you, my friend, are _not:_ _Boltun Burnae!_"

Black flames, each as large as Harry's head, flew from his wand and surrounded Nott in a field of fire while one of the flames also scorched the infected wound on the man's leg, filling the arena with screams of terror.

Up in the stands, the spectators were surprised at the knowledge of hexes and curses that came out of the so-called hero of the magical world, especially since there wasn't a first-year that could successfully cast the Flashfire Curse and listen to the screams without being frightened himself.

"I will make you beg for my mercy, Potter!" snarled Nott, now lifting his wand once more as he commanded, "_Imperio!_"

This time, the curse hit home hard and, as Harry seemed to go slack, Nott sneered as he told Harry, "Now, _boy,_ put out the fire."

A douse of water shot from Harry's wand, putting out the Flashfire while Nott then added, "Now, walk towards the fire and kill yourself!"

Harry took a step forwards before, to the shock of everyone present, including the younger students, the green eyes of the young wizard seemed to shine with amusement as he hissed, "I don't think so: _Carcecrucim: Incendio: Brachifringe!_"

Nott's screams now tore through the arena as Harry's Constrictor Curse bound the man in sharp wires, but not before the Incendio he fired off superheated the wire, melting parts of it while other parts burned at the man's flesh. As a final insult to the idiot, Harry's Bone Blaster shattered the man's left hand – the same one with the prosthetic fingers – before Harry stood over Nott, who screamed and cursed using every insult under the sun.

"I survived the impossible once before," Harry hissed, his wand now pointed right between Nott's eyes, "I was then raised in a world of torture, pain and humiliation where I was treated worse than a slave: do you _think_ for one second I would allow an insect like _you_ to control me?"

"Then…finish it, Potter," hissed Nott, though he spat in Harry's face as the boy stood over him, "Prove yourself…and end it."

"No," Harry replied, shaking his head slowly as he told Nott, "Death should be a release, not a punishment: and since you made this a duel to the death, there's only one thing I can do that will make you learn your lesson. I'll spare your life and hold you indebted to me: from this day, you will be there when I call you, do as I ask of you, obey what I command of you. Your life, your blood, your body and your soul: they now _all_ belong to me and, believe me, Nott, you should be thankful I'm being so merciful. Now agree!"

Nott knew that Harry was within his rights to demand this of him and, to add fuel to the fire, he also knew that Harry could have made things worse for him: he had, after all, already forfeited his rights in making this a duel to the death.

"I swear," Nott replied, watching as Harry took a step back and, turning away, he began to walk.

That was when the idiot made his last mistake: grabbing his wand, he pointed it at Harry.

"HARRY!"

"_Avada…_"

"_Sectumsempra!_" commanded Harry, rounding on Nott so quickly that he was almost a blur; as the curse flew from Harry's wand, it slashed Nott's chest clean open, blood, bone, muscle and gore flying everywhere. As the blood splattered itself against the walls of the cell, the spectators watched with fear, shock, disbelief and curiosity as they looked at Harry.

Some expected him to be crying, terrified and perhaps vowing never to do it again: what they saw terrified _them:_ Harry was standing there, his eyes lowered and his face hidden by his dark hair. For a moment, his shoulders trembled and there was a broken sound like sobbing that had some believing he was crying.

However, they were soon proven wrong as, with a loud cry, Harry threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with darkness, malice, rage and fury as he stood there, bathed in the blood of the fallen wizard, standing alone in the centre of the arena.

Once his laughter died down, Harry lowered his head before he chuckled once as he remarked, "So that's what that feels like…"

Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and left the arena, not amidst cheers, applause and cries for more;

Instead, there was only a silent, still-curious, but now also terrified group of witches and wizards that watched as the so-called hero of magic left the arena, not even bothered by the fact that he had killed someone.

Whoever had just walked out of the arena, the _Boy-Who-Lived_ he was _not!_

_**The Silver Trio**_

As the once-baying crowds were left silent by the massacre that they had just seen and the laughter that they had just heard, none of them were aware of a lone figure sneaking out of the chamber and, stepping out into the moonlight, he stood alone, looking at Malfoy Manor with a curious eye.

"Well," hissed the figure, his tone like the sibilant hiss of a serpent as he remarked, "Isn't _this_ an interesting turn of events?"

Then, without another word, the figure vanished in a billowing cloud of dark magic, leaving only an impression of curious anticipation as he considered what else could be done by the dark prodigy he had just seen in the arena.

_**The Silver Trio**_

Harry chuckled softly as he had his clothes taken from him by a House Elf while his five friends – Draco, Ron, Hermione, Tracey and Daphne – stood nearby, the three girls averting their eyes to avoid embarrassing Harry further. When the coast was clear and Harry was cleaned up and changed into a fresh set of robes, the group of five Slytherins approached Harry cautiously, each of them still aware of the bloodlust that was shown in his green eyes.

"Harry?" asked Hermione, earning a glance from the emerald-eyed Slytherin, "Are…are you…okay?"

"Fine," Harry nodded, then turning fully to face his friends as he added, "Thank you, Hermione: if you hadn't cried out like that, I might not have been able to dodge it a second time."

"The bout was over anyway," Draco explained, watching as Hermione ran to Harry before she hugged him, though the dark-haired Slytherin didn't embrace the touch: instead, he let his head rest on her shoulder while Hermione remained close to him.

As the others saw the care that the Muggle-born Slytherin took for the leader of the Silver Trio, Draco went on, "Nott surrendered his rights to you anyway: even if Hermione hadn't called out to you, Harry, the magic of his debt to you would have killed him. Still, I've only ever heard about the power of…of that last spell of yours."

"Sectumsempra," Harry replied, his eyes shining with the bloodlust he felt as he told them, "A particular favourite of mine since I learned about it from my good friend, the Half-Blood Prince, or, as we know him, Severus Snape."

"And those other curses?" asked Daphne, "I've seen you use some of them in the Pit when you've been challenged, but to use curses like that and not care: Harry Potter…what happened to you down there?"

"I woke up," Harry replied calmly, patting Hermione on the back in a sign that he wanted to move; when she lifted herself from him, Harry walked across to where Ron was watching, his eyes filled with a sense of relief. Stopping in front of Ron, Harry then explained, "As your new guardian, Ron, I can teach you how to do like me and hide the true darkness in you, but if you go there, then there's no turning back. The same with you lot…"

Here, he looked to the other four as he explained, "Tonight, you all saw a side of me that no-one's ever seen before: a side I discovered when my life was revealed to be nothing but lies, torment and disgusting Muggle freaks! There's a trick to hiding who you really are, who _we_ really are, but if you really want to learn it, then all I ask in return is your trust and your loyalty that you'll say nothing to any of our dorm-mates or anyone else in school."

"What about the elder years?" asked Tracey, "Flint and everyone else who was here?"

"Their parents will have sworn them to silence by now," Hermione replied, standing next to Harry while Ron stood on Hermione's other side, the three of them showing themselves to be the Silver Trio once more.

"The point is," Ron then continued, "You've seen how we three stand together and, after tonight, I know I'm not in too big a hurry to question that ever again. Harry's right in saying he's my guardian: my loyalty is now to him and only him."

"Same with me," Hermione added, looking to Harry as she explained, "You helped me become a name to be respected rather than shamed in Slytherin, Harry: we made a promise to stand together and that's what I plan on doing. So yes, you have my loyalty too."

"Never doubted you for a second, guys," Harry told them, his eyes then looking to Draco, Tracey and Daphne as he asked, "So, what about you?"

"I once told you that I would stand with you," Draco explained, smirking knowingly as he added, "This is what I meant, by the way, when I said I could help you release and realise your power: there's more nights like this to come, Harry. So, now that you've tasted its gifts and allowances, I know that I have to keep my word: I stand with you."

"Me too," Daphne nodded, walking towards the trio with Draco and Tracey as she explained, "Better to be at the devil's right hand than in his path: isn't that right, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded as Tracey continued, "You once told us, Hermione: you said that if we thought you were bad, we hadn't seen anything yet. Tonight, after all these months, I know what you mean: so, yeah, before anyone asks, I'm making it unanimous. We stand together as Slytherins, friends and allies: I'll keep your secrets, Harry."

"We _all_ will," Hermione added, taking Harry's hand as she told him, "We all stand with you now, Harry."

"You were called it once," Draco reasoned, earning looks from the other five as he added, "But now you _are_ what they say you are, Harry."

"And what's that?" asked the bloodthirsty Slytherin.

With a smile, Draco bowed his head before the others followed suit as the Malfoy Heir told him, "The Silver Prince…the highest and greatest power in all Slytherin House!"

**Chapter 7 and the Prince has found his most-loyal and shown them what he can really do when backed into a corner, but what will this do to the future now that Harry has taken a life and seems to **_**like**_** it?**

**Also – rhetorical question – who was the dark figure watching Harry and what could he want with our young Silver Prince?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: Back to Hogwarts and Harry takes care of another potential ally as he has words and rocks the boat even further; also, a certain mirror is discovered by Harry, while the year continues and, as exams come around, Harry and the Trio check out a certain someone that Harry's had his eye on for a long time…**

**Please Read and Review**

**OC SPELL:**

_**Boltun Burnae: **_**The Flashfire Curse: Ignites any surface with flames that can only be doused by the caster; prolonged exposure can cause serious burns and even death;**


	8. Poisoned Soul

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**EndlessChains: If you like that 'seed' being described, then you'll definitely like this chapter;**

**Tammy Three Pegs: Interesting ideas, but let's just say I'm throwing a wrench in the works with the mirror for now;**

**Nicholas Ruien: Yeah, her reluctance is going to take a path that actually wasn't meant to be taken, but I find it's more fun that way;**

**StormyFireDragon: You'll like this one then, Storm;**

**Venquine1990: And as I've come to start saying lately: 'it's a gift, but I lost the receipt, so I'm stuck with it.'**

"_You were called it once," Draco reasoned, earning looks from the other five as he added, "But now you are what they say you are, Harry."_

"_And what's that?" asked the bloodthirsty Slytherin._

_With a smile, Draco bowed his head before the others followed suit as the Malfoy Heir told him, "The Silver Prince…the highest and greatest power in all Slytherin House!"_

Chapter 8: Poisoned Soul

When she was younger, Hermione had once seen a scene in a film where the proverbial _cool kids_ in a gang had walked through an area with heavy rock music playing in the background, each of them parting the crowds like the Red Sea while those on the outside did their best to keep the rabble from the figure in the middle.

This was exactly how she felt as she and the rest of the Court disembarked from the train back to Hogwarts and took the long, winding pathway up towards the main gate. She could almost imagine someone like Aerosmith or Guns n Roses or even Queen being played in the background as she and her friends walked towards Hogwarts, their presence and unity showing that it would be a fool's errand to try and disturb their status quo.

Obviously, the central figure was the Silver Prince himself and leader of the now-infamous Slytherin Trinity, Harry James Potter: to look at him, you'd never believe that he had taken a man's life over the holidays and thought nothing about it. On his left was his second-in-command, Ron Weasley-Potter, the hyphenated name not really necessary as Ron was still a Weasley, though he considered himself an honorary and true member of the family that his friend and ally was a part of.

On Harry's right was Hermione, acting much like the girl belonging to 'the guy' in the scenes she kept thinking of, though she stayed close to Harry solely to make sure his dark spirit wasn't leaked out for these unworthy witches and wizards to see. Next to Ron was Tracey Davis, her dark eyes and smooth skin only beaten by her dark, caramel-blonde-coloured hair and her apparently-neutral demeanour.

On Hermione's other side was Draco Malfoy, who looked over at Harry with a sense of support and personal-strength, his place in the circle being one of purpose rather than friendship or worth. He was Harry's _resource guy_ and someone that kept the darkness at bay long enough to keep Harry's reign as Slytherin Prince unchecked.

Finally, on Draco's far side, completing the Slytherin Six that wandered into the school to their heavy rock-style theme, was Daphne Greengrass, her own blonde hair and ice-blue eyes showing why she was part of their group. She had made her choice and, as she had shown over the remainder of the holiday, she wasn't afraid of Harry…more of what he'd do if she actually dared to step away from him.

As the six made their way into the school, the doors to Hogwarts magically closing behind them, it was clear to all who looked upon them that these were six students that you did _not_ want to mess with.

If you were smart, if you valued your existence, if you had any plans about seeing tomorrow, then you did _not_ mess with any of these six students.

Especially not the emerald-eyed darkling that walked in the centre of the six.

_**The Silver Trio**_

After a week, things began to get back to what passed for normal in Hogwarts: now that the Trinity had cemented their legacies and places within the Snake Pit, there seemed to be very little that was left to challenge them, but none of them let down their guard for a moment.

Without the ignorant idiot that was Percy Weasley around to spoil their fun, the Trio soon found themselves back in their favourite training room, though this time, it was for Harry's sake as he trained the other three members of their team in unlocking their full potential. Every week, they went through a different spell or curse so that the Circle's power could stay at its peak.

However, by the end of January, Hermione and Draco couldn't help but notice a sense of distraction clouding their leader's work: so, after one training session on the last Saturday in January, the two Slytherins waited behind, both of them watching as Harry cleared the room of the signs of their training.

"What's up?" asked Harry, startling them both as they'd actually thought he wouldn't see them until he turned.

"We were just going to ask _you_ that, Harry," Hermione replied, watching as Harry used a few choice cleaning spells on the burn and scorch marks from where their training had struck Hogwarts.

"I'm fine, Hermione," explained Harry, finishing his work with a flick of his wand before he added, "Why wouldn't I be? Things are finally quiet again: without Weasley here to screw things over for me, I can finally get back to doing what matters: becoming one of the most-powerful Slytherins to walk out of this place."

"But then," Draco asked, his eyes watching Harry carefully in case the boy chose to curse him, "What's got you so distracted? Cause we've seen it, Harry: I don't know if Ron and the others have, but _something_ has you spacing out every now and again."

"It's nothing," Harry argued, moving to the door, but he was soon stopped by Hermione as she chased after him and, just as he reached the door, she put her hand on his arm as she held him carefully.

"Don't do that," Hermione told him, her voice edged by a hint of dark comfort as she explained, "Don't shut us out: remember that the Circle is here to do anything it takes to make you strong, Harry. So if there's anything that you need, just say it: we won't judge you. Besides, I know Draco doesn't really count, but you, me and Ron once agreed that we'd stand together no matter what. So what is it?"

With a sigh, Harry released his arm from Hermione's grip before, closing the door to their training room, he turned to face his two friends as he told them, "I know we're united, you two, but if Ron, Daphne and Tracey ask, you wanted advice on perfecting your curse."

"We understand," Draco nodded, watching as Harry walked over to where the window looked out across the Hogwarts grounds, "So what is it?"

"I…I found something," Harry replied, drawing his wand before he started spinning it between his fingers like a baton; at the questioning looks from the others, he went on, "The day after…after the Gathering, Ron, Hermione and I returned home and…and this parcel had been sent with Hedwig, my owl. Hermione, you'd already gone back to your parents, so you didn't see it, but Ron and I opened it and…it was an Invisibility Cloak."

"You're kidding!" exclaimed Draco, earning a shake of the head from Harry.

"No, I'm not," Harry argued, looking over to his two friends as he explained, "It…it was from my Dad…or it _was_ my Dad's; now, I know that I always said that I wasn't here to be their son and live off of their legacies, but…well, when we got back to school, I…I started to think of what I could use it for."

"You could go anywhere with one of those things," Draco reasoned, earning a nod from Harry as he went on.

"I know…and I did," Harry told them, earning wide-eyed looks from both Slytherins as he explained, "Anyway, I decided to have a snoop around the Restricted Section: I mean, since I was basically invisible, no-one could stop me. I could become as powerful as I wanted and no-one would be any the wiser about how I was doing it."

"Makes sense," agreed Hermione, watching as Harry stopped spinning his wand and, gripping his hand, she and Draco both gasped as they saw Harry shut his eyes tight, his breathing now rather forced through his teeth while his hand was trembling, "What? Did…did something go wrong?"

"No," Harry replied, his hand shaking like a leaf as he told them, "It's just…when I left the section during last week…I…I found this…this other room: I didn't mean to go in, but it was somewhere new and I guess my natural curiosity just got the better of me. Anyway, I went inside and…and there was this mirror in there: it was big and rather beautiful-looking, but…but it was weird too."

"Weird how?" asked Draco, watching as Hermione walked across the room before, in her typical Hermione way, she held Harry steadily as she sat him down, easing his tensions while also apparently soothing his rage.

"There was this…writing above it," explained Harry, tapping his knee with his wand as he recited, "_Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_."

"Sounds like a spell," Hermione reasoned, earning a laugh from Harry before he shook his head, "What was it, then?"

"It was reversed," explained Harry, "I show not your face, but your heart's desire: since then, I did a bit of reading and discovered that it was called the Mirror of Erised, but…but that's not important."

Suddenly, the Knut dropped for Hermione as she asked Harry, "You…you saw them, didn't you? Your parents?"

Harry sniffed, but nodded solemnly, earning a gasp from Draco before Hermione went on, "Harry, you do know that there's no real power out there that can resurrect the dead, don't you?"

"Of _course_ I do!" snapped Harry, now making Hermione back away in case he chose to put his wand where his rage was, "I'm not an idiot, Hermione! But…but it was the first time…in _ten_ years that I'd seen them and…and then there's the fact that my Father's Cloak, which is now mine by birthright, was just _left_ with some ignorant prick who tells me _Use it well_! What else am I supposed to feel?"

"Use it well?" asked Draco, earning a nod from Harry before he turned to face his blonde-haired friend.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"Use it well is something that a certain member of our school used to write when he gave gifts to students back in the day," Draco explained, now joining Hermione at Harry's side as he explained, "It's Dumbledore's closing phrase, Harry: Dumbledore must have sent you the Cloak _and_, when he was certain you'd use it to go wandering, he made sure you'd find the mirror."

"But why would he do that?" asked Hermione.

"Think about it," Draco reasoned, looking to Hermione as he explained, "Harry's a Slytherin: not only that, but he has the children of known associates of the Dark Lord at his side _and_ he's heralded as the Apex Predator of Slytherin. Then, when it's meant to matter the most, Harry doesn't hold a care for his title, his legacy _or_ the fact that he's…"

Hermione quickly covered Harry's ears with her hands before Draco added, "The Boy-Who-Lived, so what do you do? You bait a trap that will bring out feelings that Harry would rather avoid, like the loss, mourning and rage against the Dark that he feels towards the deaths of…of Lily and James Potter."

"Sounds like something that lack-of-subtlety, Prison Warden old fool would do," Harry growled, lifting Hermione's hands from his ears before he smiled at her as he added, "Thanks for that, Hermione: I don't necessarily fear my title, but I'd rather not have to put up with it. And you're right, Draco: that's why I've been so distracted, because I need to try and figure out why it is, exactly that this one man wants to involve himself in my life so much."

"It can't just be a coincidence," Hermione replied, her eyes watching as Harry rose from his seat before, with a deep sigh, the young Slytherin Prince walked over towards the door and, as he stopped near it, he lifted his head with a look of realisation in his eyes.

"You're right, Hermione," muttered Harry, his eyes filled with shock as he turned to face his two friends, "It _isn't_: in fact, there's a lot of stuff this year that _can't_ be a coincidence."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Draco, earning a smile from Harry.

"Well," answered the Silver Prince, "If Hermione's right and this isn't a coincidence: then if you're right, Draco, and this is a trap, then there's only one thing we _can_ do."

"Which is?" asked Hermione.

With a smile on his face that would put the Cheshire Cat to shame, Harry answered, "Spring the trap!"

_**The Silver Trio**_

For a long time afterwards, Hermione and Draco both had the same thought about their friend and leader:

If he was going to spring a trap on an apparently-naïve-minded trapster, then the question was: how?

Because of the revelation surrounding the fact that all these coincidences could be part of one big trap, Harry allowed the two of them to share the information with the rest of the circle. However, outside of Slytherin and outside of lessons, Harry had something else to deal with: something that he had been meaning to deal with for some time now.

It was rapidly approaching the time of the Hogwarts exams and, as the first of them drew around, Harry found the source of his thoughts sitting along at the edge of the Black Lake. Taking a leap of faith – something he seemed to be doing a lot of, lately – Harry walked towards his target before he leaned against the tree, his shadow falling over the form of his target.

Looking up, Neville Longbottom actually jumped back as he saw Harry standing there, his emerald eyes watching the Gryffindor accident with a hint of curiosity.

"P-P-P-Potter!" stammered Neville, gathering his things as he asked, "A-A-Am I in your way? S-s-s-sorry!"

"Stop stammering and sit down, Longbottom," Harry told him, his tone edged by a firm sense of command as he explained, "If you were in any way in my way, then I'd have launched you into the lake to get rid of you."

Neville gulped before Harry stepped around the tree and, taking a seat, he patted the seat next to him as he repeated, "Come on: sit down…I don't bite…well, not much and certainly not those who've attracted my attention."

"Huh?" asked Neville, his eyes narrowed as he did indeed take a seat next to Harry, though he kept his distance as he looked to the Silver Prince.

Curling his knees up, Harry rested his arms over his knees before he spoke again, "I've been watching you, Neville: I've seen you blow up one cauldron after another, take out one spell after another and, on more than one occasion, come close to seriously injuring a classmate. Now, I'm not saying that's your fault or nothing: no, on the contrary, I've come here…alone, without my guys at my back, because I want to make you an offer, Neville."

"W-What offer?" asked Neville, looking to Harry as the Slytherin Prince looked back to him, his green eyes shining like the emeralds they so famously resembled.

"A simple one," explained Harry, pulling one of his hands back until it was lying at his side as he told Neville, "I know what it means to be considered something I'm not and, from what I've seen of you, it's clear to me that you're pretty much the same. People look at you and they laugh and joke about you: they call you Squib and make you feel like you're the dead-last of this place. In some countries, the Far East, I think, they'd call someone like that a _dobe, _which I believe means idiot or fool."

"What's your point?" asked Neville.

"My point is," explained Harry, looking to Neville with a curious eye as he explained, "I once offered you my help, Neville: help to control and master your fears so that you could discover a power far greater and far superior to almost anyone else in the school. Now I don't know if it's fear or intimidation or the Gryffindor/Slytherin thing that this school encourages, but _something_ has kept you back from answering me. So, in light of that, I came out here: no Circle, no other Snakes, no Gryffindors, no rivalries and no tricks. Just this…"

Here, Harry rose from his seat before he stood over Neville once again, but this time, he held his hand out to the Gryffindor dead-last as he explained, "Take my hand: come with me and be a part of our Circle and then, perhaps, with our help, we can slay the dead-last and turn you into a _real_ warrior like you're meant to be."

"A Dark Wizard, you mean!" Neville exclaimed, earning a raised eyebrow from Harry; as he pulled himself to his feet, Neville squared right up to Harry before he told him, "I-I know what…what you and…and those two did on…on Halloween: I…I heard the Twins talking…about the third floor and…and so I went down. I…I _saw_ you curse him and destroy him: and even worse, you laughed about it and got away with it. What sort…sort of monster are you?"

With a sinister smile, Harry approached Neville, standing so close that the tips of their noses were touching before he answered, "The kind that wants the _real_ Neville Longbottom and not this fluffy chick that you'd rather be. Also, Neville, there's something you should know: Percy deserved his fate as will anyone else that gets in my way. You and the rest of this school believes in biased beliefs, titles that were probably made up by a toddler and stupid ideas. Me? I believe in loyalty, trust and, above all else, I believe in power! Who has it, meaning me, and who doesn't, meaning them. Where would you stand, Neville?"

Neville opened his mouth before Harry cut him off with a raised hand; shaking his head, the Silver Prince told him, "Don't answer me yet: just think about it. Think about your life and where it's going: think about how others laugh at you and undermine you and then, if you can actually stand the laughs and the belittling remarks, then fine: turn me in."

Here, he went to the edge of the lake before, bending down, Harry retrieved a single stone from the bottom of the lake's shallow edge, he tossed it up and down in his hand as he added, "Your choice."

Then, with an almost-perfect throw, Harry sent the stone skimming across the water, the ripples it left almost appropriate for what the Silver Prince had just done.

He'd injected his venom into the dead-last.

Now it was a matter of time and patience to see whether he let the venom kill him or whether he came seeking the antidote…

**Chapter 8 and Harry has gone straight for the jugular, but will Neville choose him or his enemies?**

**Also, where is this 'trap' by the senile old fool leading Harry and what will happen when Harry springs it?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: A shocking discovery by Tracey and Hermione puts the final piece into place; also, as the trap is sprung, revelations and decisions are made as alliances are tested…namely, the alliance of the Silver Trio themselves!**

**Please Read and Review**


	9. Fractured Silver

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**Kaneesha: Actually that is intentional as it's how I see the **_**old**_** Neville in most of my stories: the Gryffindor dead-last;**

**Kuriboh1233: Dragon Slave? What's that? I think you might have your stories mixed up;**

**Firewolfe: Trust me, the darkness is coming;**

**Daithi4377: Precisely the thought I had when writing about how Harry sees his alliance with Neville in this chapter;**

_Then, with an almost-perfect throw, Harry sent the stone skimming across the water, the ripples it left almost appropriate for what the Silver Prince had just done._

_He'd injected his venom into the dead-last._

_Now it was a matter of time and patience to see whether he let the venom kill him or whether he came seeking the antidote…_

Chapter 9: Fractured Silver

By the time the end of the exams came around, Harry was feeling remarkably grateful for it, though he could have done without the added stress of wondering what Neville was going to do with his decision.

The Gryffindor dead-last hadn't said anything to Harry since their little chat on the edge of the Black Lake, but neither had he given any signs that he was going to do anything about what he knew either. Instead, he seemed to do everything he could to avoid the Circle, though Harry knew that his seed had been planted in the boy's mind.

After all, if Neville really _had_ seen them destroy Percy Weasley back on Halloween Night, why hadn't he said anything to either side since that night?

He was either frightened for what Harry would do if he knew that Neville knew or, as Harry wanted to believe, he was waiting for the right moment to decide what to do with the information, though the Silver Prince could only hope that he chose to follow his hidden instinct and accept the offer of the young darkling. With Neville on his side, Harry could start to look for allies and friends that could help him rock the boat against those who would rather weaken him and trap him.

Once he had a foot in the door in Gryffindor, Harry could also start looking at the other Houses, making his Circle large enough to spread through every hidden nook and cranny of the Hogwarts alumni. Unlike previous _factions_ of friends and allies, Harry wouldn't limit his selection to just Slytherin House.

He had tasted the darkness and now, as he grew older, Harry wanted to share his tasteful experience of the dark with others in Hogwarts.

_**The Silver Trio**_

On the eve of their last exams, Harry, in a desire for some peace and quiet after the stress of the exams, sat alone at the top of the Astronomy Tower, watching with a half-lidded gaze as the sun set over Hogwarts, showing the end of another day. His wand seemed to hang lazily in the grip of his fingertips, giving the impression that all Harry really wanted was to be alone and he was willing to do anything to make sure he was.

So, when he heard two sets of footsteps running up the stairway that led to his lone place in the tower, Harry gripped his wand with a readiness for whatever was coming next, but, to his relief, he saw that the footsteps belonged to Tracey and Hermione, both of whom kept their distance when they saw his wand pointed at them.

With a sigh of resignation, Harry turned his head back to the glowing sunset as he asked, "Didn't Ron and Draco give you girls the message? I just want to be alone for now."

"Sorry, Harry," Tracey replied, holding up her hands while she took the last step into the tower; when Hermione joined her, the Davis Heiress swallowed hard before she continued, "It's just…we've…we've found something that might interest you."

"And what's that?" asked Harry, watching as the pale-blue of the afternoon finally started taking on the reddish-purple hue of sunset, the glow of the moment between day and night almost reflected in Harry's eyes as he listened to his friends.

"Okay," Hermione remarked, knowing what Harry could do with that wand if he wanted to: like Tracey, she too kept her distance as she explained, "So we're leaving the library after doing some last-minute revision for tomorrow, not that we need it since all Binns drones on about are the goblin wars, but…"

"Hermione, stay on topic," Tracey cut in, earning a soft smile from Harry as Hermione nodded before she went on.

"Anyway, we made our way past an empty classroom on the second floor and, on the other side, we heard someone crying," Hermione seemed to be in a rush to get this out, as she also seemed to have told no-one but Harry. "It's going to sound weird, Harry, but we could hear Professor Quirrell and…and his stammer wasn't there. He was frightened, yes, but he was speaking just like anyone else: then, when we went to go the other way in a sign of ignoring what we heard for now, there was…this other voice."

"Other?" asked Harry, looking back to the girls for only a moment, "What do you mean _other_, Hermione?"

"A high voice," explained Tracey, watching as Harry returned his attention to the sunset as she told him, "It made my blood run cold because it…it was as cruel and merciless-sounding as…well, as you did when we were at the Malfoys' party. The strange thing is, though, when Quirrell left the room, we did a bit of investigating and…Harry…there was no-one there!"

Now they'd caught Harry's interest: with a sigh, Harry picked himself up from the ground, the sunset now silhouetting him against its light as he turned to them, his own voice suddenly cold as he told them, "I'm going to tell you girls something: after that, you're going to go back to the dorm and share this with no-one, but the others."

At their nods of confirmation, Harry went on as he explained, "I've met Professor Quirrell before: it was in Diagon Alley and, when he met me, his stammer caught my attention. As someone who was used to being afraid of those who thought themselves his betters, I know what it means to stammer over yourself with fear and, when I met Quirrell, I just _knew_ that he was faking it."

"But why would he do that?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know," Harry replied, his eyes dark and foreboding as he took a step towards his friends; as he walked towards them, he continued talking, "But there are more things about this year that don't make sense: a troll attacking and getting into Hogwarts on Halloween Night. An apparently-forbidden corridor where the only thing that awaits you is a most-painful death: then there's the mirror that you guys heard about. I mean who just leaves something like that lying around?"

Here, he had reached his friends, but Harry wasn't done; taking a-hold of the shoulders of the two girls, Harry went on, "Things at Hogwarts aren't what they seem to be, girls: I went back to the room a while ago after telling Hermione and Draco about it and the mirror was gone. That's not a coincidence: someone _planned_ it and now there's Professor Quirrell and this other voice."

"What…what are you going to do, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Like I said before," replied Harry, looking to Hermione with a devious grin on his face, "I'm going to spring the trap: now, go back to the Common Room and tell Ron, Draco and Daphne what I've told you. I'll be along in a minute or two."

With nods of understanding, Hermione and Tracey left Harry alone in the tower: however, as Harry turned and walked back to the edge of the tower, the last rays of sunset reflected in his green eyes, the Silver Prince lifted a hand to his forehead and gently massaged his scar, his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he watched the day descend into darkness.

"So," he whispered, speaking to no-one in particular, "You're back."

_**The Silver Trio**_

"So where's he gone?"

"I don't know," replied Hermione, gathered with the rest of the Circle in Harry's lone dormitory in Slytherin, each of them sat around the room as they listened to Tracey and Hermione give their detailed story, "He just said he'd be along in a minute and that he's going to spring the trap, but I don't know where or how."

"I bet I can guess," Ron suggested, looking to the others as he explained, "The third-floor corridor: he's going to go and see what's so dangerous about it so that he can make the final stage of his plan to spring the trap."

"Makes sense," nodded Draco, looking over to his one-time family rival-turned friend as he explained, "Harry needs all the variables before he can make a decision on how he's going to draw out his enemy, but I think we have a question here that hasn't been answered."

"The voice," Tracey replied, earning nods from the others as she explained, "We don't know who was speaking, but I think Harry does."

"I think…" Hermione gulped, her eyes suddenly holding a look of fear and dread as she added, "I think we _all_ do."

The other members of the circle looked to the brown-haired Muggle-born as she shivered before, lifting her head, she spoke the thought that was running through her mind:

"Voldemort!"

_**The Silver Trio**_

When Harry returned to the Common Room about twenty minutes later, he found his Circle still gathered in his room, each of them looking like someone had just told them that they were being put on Death Row. Closing the door to his dorm, Harry crossed the floor before, removing his robes and school clothes, he changed into a shirt and jeans that allowed for comfort and freedom.

"So, anyone going to tell me what's got you lot so scared?" asked Harry as he sat down on the end of his bed, shifting Ron from the spot in the process as the Circle looked to their leader.

"You…you know, don't you?" asked Hermione, earning a look from Harry as she explained, "The voice…the one Quirrell was frightened of: it…it's _him_, isn't it?"

"The Dark Lord," Draco piped up, earning a look of realisation and inevitability from Harry as he sighed and, lowering his head, the Silver Prince nodded, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, linking his hands together while he spoke with his friends.

"How…how long have you known?" asked Ron, earning a rueful shrug from Harry.

"I guess, in a way, I've always known," explained Harry, lifting his head to them as he told them, "When I went into Diagon with Hagrid, he told me the story of why my name means so much to our world, but he also told me that some people believed that Voldemort…"

The expected shudders passed amongst the members of the Circle, minus Harry, like a dread-induced Mexican Wave.

Ignoring their reactions, Harry went on, "Some say he's dead, but not Hagrid: codswallop in his opinion, he said. He then told me that there's a chance that he's out there somewhere too tired to carry on. It was then I began thinking about what someone like Voldemort – cue the group's shudders – would do to come back and, in that moment, I also thought about the thing that Hagrid had taken out of Gringotts. I mean, he takes something out for Dumbledore _just_ when I'm there to see it?"

"Another piece of the trap," Ron whispered, earning a nod from Harry.

"Now we have a forbidden corridor," Harry went on, "And it's somewhere that, if you visit the place, it means death in the most-painful of ways: telling kids that they're not meant to go somewhere is temptation enough, but add in a life-or-death scenario and it's like putting a red rag in front of a bull."

"So…so what's there?" asked Draco.

Now, Harry looked to his friend as he answered, "A Cerberus."

The rest of the Circle let out gasps as Harry continued, "I didn't go all the way in: I just peered through the door. It's a huge creature and it seems to be standing right over a trapdoor of some sort. Now, if my fears are right and it _is_ Voldemort, then it explains Quirrell's stammer and the troll attack: he must have let it in on Halloween as a distraction to try and get past the dog."

"Then when he failed," Hermione continued, though her voice quivered with fear as she explained, "Another defence was needed in case someone like Quirrell or…or _him_ got past the dog."

"Like a mirror that shows the viewer their heart's desire," Ron nodded, earning a slow nod from Harry as he asked, "But how would you go about getting the thing out of the mirror anyway? And what could it be? What could be so valuable to…to Voldemort that he'd risk coming into a school where someone like Dumbledore is waiting?"

With a thoughtful look, Harry replied in a dark voice, "Something that would give him his full powers back…and, perhaps, a body that can hold that power."

"But there's nothing like that in the world, is there?" asked Ron, looking to the others as he asked, "I mean, Harry said it himself: no power can truly resurrect the dead, can it?"

"Maybe not," Hermione answered, her eyes now in an expression of thought that Harry had only ever seen her wear over the past few weeks due to their exams.

"What's your thought, Mia?" asked Harry, watching as Hermione lifted her head to him.

"It's…it's just something I read back in the winter," explained Hermione, looking to the others, all of whom now gave her their full attention as she told them, "I…I checked out a book on magical legends from the library for a bit of light reading: but…in the middle of the book, it mentioned famous witches and wizards. You know? The founders, the Dark Lord Grindelwald and everyone else in history? The thing is, it also talked of a man, an Alchemist, who created something called the Philosopher's Stone."

"The what?" chorused Harry and Ron, but Draco, Daphne and Tracey had suddenly gone very white.

"It's…it's a legend, all right," Draco nodded, looking to Harry as he explained, "It was created, originally, through an ancient and borderline dark ritual by a man known as Nicholas Flamel, who, like Hermione said, is a revered alchemist and a good, close, personal friend of the headmaster."

"Coincidence? I think not," whispered Harry, listening as Draco went on.

"According to the stories surrounding it," Draco explained, his voice low, but edged by a sense of dread and awe, "The stone has legendary powers that can help forge the Elixir of Life, a potion of the highest-class making that can make the drinker immortal. It's also said to possess the power to grant the user advanced knowledge of the field of Alchemy so that anything is possible for them: transmuting metals into gold, creating bodies out of nothing but bones and ashes: you get the picture."

"So," Harry muttered, his tone almost as dark as it had been on that night several months ago, "If it _is_ Voldemort and he's after the Stone, then I think we finally know what the trap is."

"He goes after it," Ron remarked, earning a nod of mutual agreement from Harry as he smiled coldly.

"And I stop him."

"Are you?" asked Hermione, earning looks from the other two members of the Silver Trio as she explained, "Well if he comes back, won't that stand in the way of your path to power and greatness?"

"Not necessarily," replied Harry, now smiling like a shark smelling blood in the water as he added, "On the contrary, it gives me a perfect opportunity…but could I do it?"

"You can do anything, Harry," Draco explained, earning a fond smile from Harry while Tracey and Daphne nodded in agreement as he asked, "Why? What are you thinking of doing?"

"Like I said," Harry replied, looking to his friends before he added, "Springing the trap, but then, when I do so, I'll turn the trap on the trappers and come out stronger than ever."

"How?" asked Ron, but as Harry went to answer, Hermione's eyes widened with horror before she gasped.

"Harry, no! You wouldn't…not that: there…there have to be other ways, surely!"

"If there are, Hermione," replied Harry, looking to the Muggle-born witch as he told her, "Please…present them: besides, lest you forget, you passed the point of no return once before: now there's no going back."

Here, he rose from his bed and, looking to the other members of the Circle, Harry's eyes seemed to shine with the same dark lust from the Gathering as he smiled with a determined, dark expression. "This is the moment that's been coming for ten years now…and I won't let _anyone_ stand in my way."

With a glance to Hermione, Harry's smile fell and he looked to her with the same murderous glint he'd shown to the late Tristen Nott;

"No-one!"

**Chapter 9 and it seems that there's a threat of dissention in the ranks of the Trio, but what will Harry do to make sure no-one stops him?**

**Also, will the Circle follow their leader into this apparent dark future and what exactly is Harry planning?**

**More to the point, will he succeed?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: The trap is sprung and old enemies meet, but there's a surprise for Harry; also, the Circle await their leader's return where Ron has a talk with Hermione about what happens next;**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter**_

**Okay, so I did this one as a sort of 'calm before the storm' as the next chapter will be where everything is set in stone for Harry, his Trio and the Silver Circle; also, don't worry, I'm not having Hermione turn on Harry: that would go against the nature of the challenge associated with this story.**

**I just made her the one who seems to have doubts because, well, at the end of the day, she is still a Muggle-born and one who heard how a certain someone acted and worked against her kind; plus, despite everything Harry shared with the gang, she still doesn't see the true darkness of our hero, even though she's seen him kill;**


	10. I Make My Own Destiny

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**MaryBlackDumbledore: Yeah that is a shame, but that doesn't mean she can't mirror Bella, right?**

**StormyFireDragon: I think you'll enjoy this chapter, Storm;**

**Daithi4377: Maybe or maybe she sees something else in Harry and is worried about losing it…and him;**

**Venquine1990: What can I say? I enjoy using cliffhangers and, as for your other question, yeah, I'd say so;**

"_This is the moment that's been coming for ten years now…and I won't let anyone stand in my way."_

_With a glance to Hermione, Harry's smile fell and he looked to her with the same murderous glint he'd shown to the late Tristen Nott;_

"_No-one!"_

Chapter 10: I Make My Own Destiny

The following day, following the end of their last exam, Harry and the Circle gathered in their usual training-room classroom, each of them saying nothing for a long time, though each of them had looks on their face that said more than words ever could.

Daphne and Tracey were looking both curious and relieved: the latter because of the fact that their exams were over until next year and the curiosity with regards to what Harry had been talking about just last night. For Daphne, who'd always tried to be neutral and yet stand with the dark scion in their midst, she knew that this would be her point of no return, but still…she was curious.

Draco was standing closest to the window in the room, his eyes looking out over the scenery beyond their room as though enjoying the calm before the storm, but, had anyone looked closer, they would have noticed that he also showed an air of waiting. He was waiting for the word from Harry to send them on their way towards springing the trap.

Like the Silver Prince's trio, Draco knew what Harry was thinking of doing and, personally-speaking, he was looking forwards to seeing how the endgame was played if and when the dark-haired wizard got his wish.

Speaking of the Trio, if you looked at them, you'd see a sense of dissention that had been there since the night before: Hermione was alone in a corner of the room, her head in a book while she tried to avoid meeting the eyes of her darker counterparts. She knew what Harry had hinted at, but she could never believe that someone like Harry would be as hungry for power as to risk doing…_that_ and making things worse than they already were.

On top of that, there was Harry's threat about not letting anyone stop him: she believed it too.

Harry had read and explored his dark side for months now, becoming stronger, more powerful and more of a true warrior wizard than a student: then there was the curse he had used to kill: Sectumsempra.

He told them where he'd learned it and, though the others had studied on the spells and abilities that Harry had read about in the Half-Blood Prince's journal, not even Draco could compete with the power and bloodlust that Harry had exhibited in the use of the curse.

As for Ron, he stood faithfully at Harry's side, his eyes looking to his leader as Harry leaned against the door to their training room, listening and waiting for the sign that it was time for them to move. Unlike the others, Ron knew where his loyalties lay: with Harry; they had done ever since Harry had taken him under the protections of House Potter and kept him away from his banshee-wannabe Mother.

Secretly, Ron wondered how the family had fared since his breaking away from them: the Twins hadn't said anything and he hadn't received letters or anything else from Bill and Charlie.

But now, Ron knew that this would be it: the moment where he made his final choice and it was all because of Harry's desire.

Ron owed the green-eyed wizard a debt for what he'd done to help and soon, it would be time for him to repay that debt.

And he _would!_

_**The Silver Trio**_

It was just after sundown when Harry, waking everyone from a sleep that they hadn't noticed they'd taken in the room, put a finger to his lips as he whispered, "It's begun: keep quiet and follow me."

As one, the Circle moved out of the classroom and along the corridor to the door that led into the forbidden area of the school: as they stood before the door, Harry drew his wand and unlocked the door. Stepping inside, the passageway flared into life and, as Daphne closed and locked the door behind them, the Silver Prince looked to his friends before he nodded once.

"All right," he muttered, keeping his voice quiet in the echoing corridor, "We don't know what we're going to find here, so be ready for anything."

"Does that include _me?_"

Rounding on the source of the voice, the Circle drew their wands while Harry smirked to himself as he turned to see Neville Longbottom step out of the darkness of the corridors, his wand lifted in a defiant gesture as he faced the Circle.

"So," Harry sighed, standing behind the wall of wands between him and the young Gryffindor, "This is the path you choose, Longbottom: how very Gryffindor. One part brave, three parts fool!"

"You're right, Potter," Neville replied, his wand actually trembling as he stood before the Circle, "I _am_ a Gryffindor, just like you and just like your parents. But just because you're right about that, it doesn't mean that you're right about the other parts too."

"Oh?" asked Harry, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "So…what? You're something other than a brave fool?"

"No," Neville replied, before he surprised them all as he stepped forwards and, turning his wand around, he held the hilt out towards Harry as he added, "I'm not a brave fool, but I'm not any other kind of fool either."

"Neville…" Hermione whispered, while the others lowered their wands as Harry stepped forwards, his hand extended to take the wand from Neville.

"If you do this," Harry warned him, "I won't let you go: I've done things, Longbottom: things that eleven year olds shouldn't be able to do."

"Am I backing down?" asked Neville, earning a snigger from Harry as he remembered saying those exact same words when he'd shown his dark side for everyone to see.

As Harry wrapped his fingers around the hilt of Neville's wand, he still smiled as Neville explained, "You were right, Harry: about me. Something _did_ keep me from answering you when you gave me your advice back on Halloween Night: it was because I had to think about who was talking to me."

"Meaning?" asked Harry, watching as Neville removed his hand from the wand he'd offered to Harry, leaving the Silver Prince with the power in his hand and leaving Neville defenceless.

"Ever since the first day," Neville explained, indicating Ron and Hermione as he told them, "There's only ever been you three: the Silver Trio as people call you. When you were sorted into Slytherin, there were those of us that felt scared and, I won't deny it, I was one of them. I thought you had somehow become a follower of…Voldemort or that you had been corrupted, but then you gave me that advice about mastering my fears and, when you did, I had an epiphany. I realised that you hadn't become anything except the warrior that you were meant to be because you had chosen to make that destiny yours."

Here, he shuddered as he continued, "But…but then the events of that night happened and…and I saw you take down and curse Percy, who _was_ a fool himself, I'm not going to defend him there. He should have realised that your business wasn't his: he _chose_ to get himself caught in the dragon's lair and he got burned…big-time!"

Ron scoffed with amusement while Neville went on, "I saw that and I was scared again because I didn't know what to think: so I kept quiet…I let them call me their dead-last and everything else, but…all this time, I was thinking. Then…then you talked to me on the lakeside and you told me what you wanted: you didn't threaten me…well, not openly, but you didn't put me down."

"You could have turned him in," suggested Hermione, earning a look from the other members of the Circle before she added, "Why didn't you?"

"Because that night," Neville went on, "I had this…this dream: it felt like a nightmare, but the more that I thought about it, the more I felt…I felt like I was being drawn in because of the dream. I saw…I saw myself: I was standing in front of everyone that had ever put me down and, one by one, I made them disappear…magically and…and painfully. When I woke from the dream, after hearing their cries for mercy, I was scared, but a part of me also felt…well, it felt like I could breathe."

"You saw your choice," muttered Harry, earning a nod from Neville as he asked, "So why not come to me before now?"

"Because I knew I had to figure it out for myself," explained Neville, looking to the Circle before he went on, "Where I stood: I mean, if I did this, went with my instincts, then…then I'd be alone because of how you're all snakes. But…but then I started to think about you, Harry: about your offer and I realised that what you were offering me wasn't a place as a mouse in a snake pit, but…but as one of you, right?"

Harry nodded.

"So," Neville continued, "I waited: at the same time, I noticed things. One of those things was Professor Quirrell: I saw him leaving his room when I was about to come to you and tell you this, but…I guess you could say I wanted to see for myself what was going on. There was always something about him I didn't like, so…so I followed him and here I am. When I saw him go in there, I thought about coming to tell you, because I know that whatever's down there isn't meant for him, but it's meant for the future of magic…for you, Harry!"

Harry smirked as Neville looked past him before, returning his gaze to the green eyes of the Silver Prince, the Gryffindor dead-last then explained, "Now here you are and here I am: you once gave me the choice; now, I'm accepting it. I won't beg and I am willing to do anything and everything to prove myself to you, but, if you'll still have me, then I would be proud to stand with you and join your Circle."

For a moment, nobody said anything, but then, to the amusement of the Circle, Harry started laughing: as he laughed, so did Ron and Hermione, though she did so shakily. As the laughter infected the Circle, Harry shook his head before he stepped forwards and, lifting the wand to Neville, he chuckled to himself.

"You Gryffindors," Harry sniggered, "You talk too much: whatever your reasons, they were always yours, Neville. All you had to say was yes or no: now, on your knees."

Neville went to his knees.

Placing the boy's wand against his shoulders, Harry spoke with a calm, cool-toned voice as he explained, "I once offered you a path to power and greatness: you tried to turn it on its head by telling me that you had information that could destroy me. That wasn't only wrong of you, Neville Longbottom, but it was amusingly-Slytherin of you."

Neville actually bowed his head before Harry as the dark wizard continued, "However, in light of that, you have chosen to cast off your shackles and become the great wizard you want to become. To do this, you are willing to abandon years of tradition and belief for the way of power: if you do this, then I will not allow you to turn back. You will belong to me and your allegiance will be to none save the Circle: do you understand this?"

"I do," Neville replied calmly, not even trembling.

"If you pledge yourself to this," Harry went on, "Then you will be expected to learn, grow and, from time to time, use even the darkest of magic to do what must be done: are you prepared for such events?"

"I am," Neville replied.

"You will not be the Neville Longbottom of old," Harry continued, "But someone greater, stronger…_new!_ As one of us, as your loyalty is to me, you will come when I call on you, do what I ask of you and, like the Circle, your key goal is to turn not only yourself, but me as well into the great wizard that many have _claimed_ that I am. In return for this, I offer you power, friendship and companionship in the days ahead: now, for the last time, do you accept this offer, Neville Longbottom?"

"I accept your offer, Harry Potter," replied Neville, looking up to Harry with bright blue eyes as he explained, "And know of the risks and roles that I will have to play: call when you need of me, ask what you will of me; my wand, my time, my knowledge, my future are yours!"

"Then rise a true wizard," Harry told him, watching as Neville rose up before Harry added, "And take your wand back, my friend."

As Neville obliged, Harry embraced him in a friendly hug, earning a round of applause from the Circle as the Silver Prince then asked, "Now, don't we have somewhere to be?"

"This might help," Neville explained, removing what looked like a small flute from his pocket as he told Harry, "I found it in amongst some of my presents last Christmas: I think someone intended for you to get it in Gryffindor, but since you're a Slytherin…"

"They use their backup plan," muttered Harry, taking the flute as he sniggered, "The trap closes in."

With that, he turned and walked towards the door that led to the Cerberus; behind him, Neville looked to Hermione with curiosity as he asked, "What does he mean by that?"

"Trust me," Hermione replied with a shiver, "You _don't_ want to know."

_**The Silver Trio**_

"Blimey: someone must _really_ want to protect the Stone!"

This was the thought that Ron let out as the seven witches and wizards reached the other side of what had been a giant chessboard, which thanks to Ron and Draco, all seven of them had gotten across without much trouble. Before the chessboard, there had been a horde of flying keys that needed the right one to be retrieved – which Harry had taken care of by using a broom and a quick Immobulous Hex from Hermione – and before that, there'd been Devil's Snare, which had fallen to the Flashfire Curse from Daphne.

Walking into the next room, the Circle found themselves standing in what looked like a single, basic room with a table and a shelf that held seven bottles. As they walked in, Harry was the only one who didn't jump with surprise when both doors – the one leading onwards and the one leading back – were suddenly covered by two veils of flames, one purple and one black.

"Severus," Draco remarked, earning a nod from Harry as they looked to the bottles on the shelf: Hermione, meanwhile, looked to the table where she found a note written out.

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

"Only the Head of Slytherin would come up with such a complex challenge," Harry remarked, earning a smirk from Draco before he added, "The bottles must have some sort of refill charm on them, otherwise all we'd have to do is look for the one with a bit of its contents missing."

"But there's more than one of us here," reasoned Neville, watching as Hermione and Tracey started to walk up and down the rows, their eyes also looking to the riddle in their hands.

Finally, after a long moment, Hermione stopped near the smallest bottle while Tracey indicated a rounded bottle on the opposite end.

"Here," Hermione explained, removing the smallest bottle before she handed it to Harry, "This is the one you need."

"And this is the one to take you back," Tracey then explained, removing the other bottle and holding it to the Circle, "But we all know that the only one to go on should be Harry. We can wait here."

"No," Harry replied, looking to the Circle as he explained, "You four go back: Neville, I want you to go and find Professor Snape. Tell him that I'm down here with Ron and Hermione and that we might need his assistance. By the time he gets here, I'll have done what I need to do and…"

"You mean you'll have joined…Voldemort?"

Turning to the source of the voice, the entire Circle looked to Hermione, who was standing there with her eyes on Harry, a look of fury and disbelief in her eyes as she looked back at him.

With a sigh of resignation, Harry answered, "Yes."

Not even Neville made any sort of fearful reaction; instead, the Circle just watched as Hermione seemed to tremble before she looked to Ron as she told him, "Can…can you take the others back to the previous room, Ron? I…I want to talk to Harry alone."

"You won't change his mind," Ron insisted, then pointing to Hermione as he added, "You're the one who said it first, Hermione: we're a Trio and where he goes, we follow, even if it's to join Him! Harry was right when he told you that you knew this was coming and…"

"Ron…" Harry muttered, noticing the restraint held in by Hermione as he added, "Go."

Taking the drink that led them back through the flames, the Circle vanished one-by-one until there was only Harry and Hermione left behind, the two of them looking to one another for a long moment before Harry asked, "So, do you want to do it or not?"

Taking a step forwards, Hermione smacked Harry clean across the face, not even causing a reaction out of the Silver Prince as she asked, "What possible reason would there be to do it, Harry? Why would you join the monster that murdered your parents? That's killed so many others and done things that even you wouldn't think of doing? Tell me: I _have_ to know why."

With a soft voice that was almost like the grave itself, Harry replied calmly, "Because I choose to."

"But I don't understand," argued Hermione, actually pounding on Harry's chest with her fist as she asked, "Why? Why are you doing this? I mean…Merlin forgive me for admitting it, but…you're a great wizard, Harry: greater than anyone else out there. And you don't need books and cleverness to become great: you make your own greatness with friendship, bravery, loyalty and leadership…and…and…"

"I know," Harry nodded, taking Hermione's hands in his as he lifted her head to meet his eyes as he explained, "It's okay: we're still too young to say it, Hermione, but I know."

"How?"

"Why else would a Muggle-born willingly step into Slytherin and into the dark with me?" asked Harry, his voice low, but tinged with amusement as he asked, "Why would she allow herself to learn of the darkness and stand so close and so devoted to my cause? Why would she be the one to say that it was my destiny to stand tall and stride across the skin of this world like she did? Why? Because she knows what she feels…and though it'll be a few years before I know and understand the feelings too, but I understand her feelings…but this is my choice: it's _always_ been that, isn't that right?"

Hermione sniffed and nodded before she looked up at Harry as he continued, "Then trust me that my choice is like my destiny, Hermione: it's mine to make because I _want_ this, because I _choose_ it. I know I may seem cold and dark out there, but…but that's just one part of me, a part that came from being lied to, used and abused and treated worse than a slave. All my life, I was the black sheep while their precious child was like Merlin himself walked amongst them: all that I ever was to them was the freak, the slave, the nobody. When I learned the truth, I was angry and that anger became a spark of darkness; a dark seed that has grown, bloomed and been tended by the care, consideration and friendship that every single one of the Circle, you included, have shown me."

Here, Harry placed a soft hand on Hermione's cheek before he told her, "My destiny, Hermione, is to be a great and powerful wizard and to leave Muggles where they belong: in the dirt beneath my feet. Now, if that means doing the irreversible and joining Voldemort, then that's what I'll do."

Here, Harry peered to the flames before he sighed as he told Hermione, "But if you'd rather I wait: if you want me to step away from this _for now_ and remain the Silver Prince, remain Harry, then say so. I'll go through those flames, I'll stop Voldemort coming back _this time_ and, if the impossible happens and we meet again, then…we'll see, but this _one_ time, I'll say no…if it means keeping my friend happy that I'm still me and no-one else's servant."

Hermione actually sniffled as she listened to Harry's speech: he was willing to turn his back on his destiny for her?

How selfish was she?

He was right: she _had_ been the one to say that he was a great wizard: she didn't have a right to stand in his way, no matter what that involved. Yet here she was, after being the first one to acknowledge him as the future of both sides, the great wizard that he was destined to become…maybe even more…more like a great ruler.

And here she was trying to stop him, after lighting the spark that ignited the fuse that had led to this event.

No: she couldn't deny him that.

She _wouldn't_.

"No, Harry," Hermione told him, her voice edged by pain as she explained, "Don't abandon your destiny because of me: you go through those flames and you become the great wizard you are. I…I'm sorry that I thought I could stop you after…after all we've done together: just…just make sure you come back to us, all right?"

With a soft smile, Harry placed a gentle, friendly kiss on Hermione's brow before he told her, "You have my word: now go…I'll come back to you."

With that, he took the small bottle from Hermione and, with a single gulp, he downed the contents before stepping through the flames.

On the other side, Hermione smiled before she wiped her eyes and, watching him leave, she whispered, "Good luck…my young lord."

Then she returned to the Circle, intent on giving them the news of everything that she and the Silver Prince had talked about…

Though she _might_ have chosen to leave out the part about how she felt about him.

**Chapter 10 and Harry has discovered Hermione's true devotion to him, but will he return a hero, a conqueror or a servant?**

**Also, how will Neville's fall from grace affect others as the future is now changed for the light for good?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: Old enemies meet, but there's a surprise for Harry as he makes his choice for the future;**

**Please Read and Review**


	11. I'm No Hero

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**WhiteElfElder: Of course he won't bow: that's just not how I see a good Dark-Harry;**

**Daithi4377: Atlas? Do you think so? I never really considered it, but it's a good comparison;**

**Arashi the Solar Phoenix: I don't know: it's a change, really;**

**StormyFireDragon: Perhaps you're right, Storm, but then again, the Circle **_**have**_** sworn themselves to his cause, so why would he lose friends?**

_On the other side, Hermione smiled before she wiped her eyes and, watching him leave, she whispered, "Good luck…my young lord."_

_Then she returned to the Circle, intent on giving them the news of everything that she and the Silver Prince had talked about…_

_Though she might have chosen to leave out the part about how she felt about him._

Chapter 11: I'm No Hero

While Hermione returned to the other members of the Circle, Harry took the vial that would send him through the flames before, downing its contents and shuddering as a feeling of icy fingers wrapped around him, he stepped through the flames and into the final room. Almost immediately, he knew who had set this up as he saw the familiar sight of the Mirror of Erised standing before him, but there, in front of the mirror, was the reason for Harry being here.

The reason for them all being here.

Professor Quirrell.

"Good evening, Mr Potter," Quirrell remarked, catching sight of Harry's reflection in the mirror, "Come closer, step into the shadows where I can see you."

Moving forwards, Harry looked to the mirror before he looked to the professor, his green eyes filled with a glint of amusement as he asked, "You were expecting me, then?"

"Of course," replied the Defence Professor, his dark eyes looking to Harry through the mirrored reflection of the boy as he explained, "That's part of the reason that I gave you and your friends that room and have done everything in my power to see you ascend to greatness. Of course, after Christmas, I knew that no mere training room could contain your dark hunger."

"Christmas?" asked Harry, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Come now, Harry," replied Quirrell, an amused snigger playing on his lips as he told the boy, "Let's not lie to one another: you know why I am here and what I want, just like I know of your dark side and how it _hungers_ for new blood to spill and new lives to destroy!"

"But how would you…" Harry began, before a look of realisation crossed his face as he added, "You were there that night."

"I was," replied Quirrell, his eyes looking deep into Harry's eyes as he mused, "And you intrigue me, Harry Potter: first there was your quickness in dodging one curse, but then you not only survive, but you were able to throw off the two others. Then, right when mercy was in your hands, you turned it on itself and slaughtered that weak-minded fool that thought he could compare with your power!"

Harry just smiled as Quirrell sighed before he added, "I felt like a proud Father that day, you know: it was like watching…an investment that you put into the bank and then watch it growing and growing. I know that you have hatred and pain inside of you, but to take it and make it part of your magical arsenal so that others learn to fear it…ahh, how I've enjoyed watching you grow into your true station, my dear little friend."

"And now here we are," Harry argued, his eyes on the mirror as he added, "All that stands between you and ultimate power is a piece of glass; all that stands between me and the destiny that is mine is you. So here's my question, Quirrell: how much longer are you going to play this game?"

"What game?" asked Quirrell.

"You've been heard," Harry told him, folding his arms as he leaned against the wall with an almost mocking smile on his face, "My associates heard you talking to someone with a high, cold and cruel voice: so, where is he? Our lord and master on high? Where in the world is Lord Voldemort?"

Quirrell's eyes widened before Harry added, "Don't seem so surprised: did you actually think I wouldn't figure it out? Well, sorry to disappoint you, Quirrell, but I did and I'm here for the engineer, not the oily rag: so, where is he?"

At that moment, Harry heard it: a low, sibilant hissing sound that seemed to rise on the air until it became a cold, cruel laugh; seconds later, Quirrell's body buckled and seemed to contort in pain before he rose up, his eyes now a leering red colour that glared at Harry with malice and evil in its stare.

"Harry Potter," hissed the new voice, "How nice to see you again."

"Voldemort," replied Harry calmly, looking to Quirrell's body as he asked, "So…what? You're part of him? Possessing him? Maybe some deformed image of yourself is leeching life energy from him, is that it?"

"Oh no, my dear little snake," laughed Voldemort, "Quirrell is me and I am him: this has been the way I have had to survive for nearly three years now. He was such a proud young thing, dear Quirinus: trying to find the true meaning of power and greatness until, inevitably, he was led to me. As I spoke, he gave himself to me, wanting only the power that I could give him. But of course, as you yourself know, Harry: power is not something idly given: it must be _earned._"

"So you stole his body," muttered Harry, earning a nod from Voldemort as he asked, "And what about those other times? His voice was heard and it was terrified."

"Of course it was," replied Voldemort, "Even total possession isn't always so successful: there were times when I was weak and Quirinus regained some small semblance of his senses, but then we both met you and I knew…I _knew_ you were the one, Harry. Your darkness is rich, but it could be more: all you have to do is help me get the Stone and then, my dear little acolyte, I can teach you _so_ much!"

"Can you, really?" asked Harry, straightening up while the possessed form of the Dark Lord turned to face him; with his green eyes fixed on the now-red eyes of the Dark Lord, Harry then asked, "And then what, Voldemort? Become your servant? Kneel before you and let you think yourself my Master?"

"Naturally," replied the Dark Lord, "That is the way of the world now, Harry: there is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it. And so, when one seeks it, they become an apprentice to the Master: I am the Master and you, my little Dark Wizard, would make a fine and noble apprentice."

"Maybe I would," Harry nodded, then looking to Voldemort before he asked, "But how do I know that you would keep your word? You're a dark wizard just as I am: what's stopping you making me bring you back and then, to avoid any possibility of being challenged in the future, you kill me?"

"Ahh," Voldemort sniggered, "You've been thinking about this."

"I've had a long time," replied Harry, before he shook his head as he added, "And while I agree with you that becoming a dark lord's apprentice would give me the power that I crave, I also know that while one hand offers me the power, the other is hidden behind your back, ready to stick the knife in so that you lose a potential rival for the power of the Dark Lord."

Voldemort laughed to himself as he looked at Harry, seeing not the boy that had forced him into this phantasmal limbo, but, in a way, he found himself looking at the boy he once was over fifty years ago.

Meeting Harry's green-eyed gaze, the Dark Lord sighed before he asked, "What do you suggest then, Harry? What price will I have to pay to get your assistance?"

"The only price worth paying," replied Harry, pointing at Voldemort as he explained, "I'll have my Circle swear themselves to you, but I know that they'll only ever obey and follow my commands: therefore, I suggest that, in exchange for my help and one-hundred-percent willingness to continue down my dark path, you make me your heir. Prince of the Dark Arts and Young Master of your Death Eater forces: furthermore, my followers remain unmarked and you give me free reign over the dark while you rebuild and restore your strength. In return, _on ceremony_, I'll force myself to bow before you and recognise you as my superior, though I don't really find that idea likeable."

Again, Voldemort sniggered before he nodded as he told Harry, "You truly have thought about this, Harry: I have watched your little gathering surround you as my Inner Circle do me. I have watched you turn the blood traitor into a valiant warrior of darkness and even brought in the Muggleborn girl to become as close to you as one I know is to me. In hindsight…I would have to agree with your suggestions, Harry: perhaps the time has come for me to search for an heir: after all, there's no telling when the next upstart will come along and destroy me."

"So we have a deal?" asked Harry.

"Before I answer you, I'd like an answer myself," replied Voldemort, pointing a finger at Harry as he asked, "Here you stand, Silver Prince of Slytherin, willing to pledge yourself to me and my cause and yet, I'm curious as to what we would do about the fact that it was my hand that slew your family?"

"You don't have to worry about that," Harry told him, his voice now turning cold as he explained, "Everything that's happened to me, it happened because of you: but, at the same time, it was because of you that I was lost to this world for ten years. Then, when they returned me here, they did so unknowingly suspecting of the darkness inside of me: so, in a way, Voldemort: everything you did made me stronger; made me the prince that I am today. So why should I hate and desire to kill you when, as you say, in hindsight, you are my creator?"

"Interesting argument," Voldemort agreed.

With a smirk, Harry continued, "I've tasted the darkness and, as people have noticed, Voldemort, I'm hungry…no, I'm _starving_ for more of that taste: what I felt, what I did and what I experienced on Christmas Night, I've never felt so alive and so free. I killed, _willingly_ I might add, and yet I didn't cry or feel fear: no, much like a certain orphan, I wanted _more!_ So you ask me what would be my argument at the fact that you killed my family. Here's my answer…"

With that, to the Dark Lord's surprise, Harry dropped to his knees before the dark wizard as he told him, "Thank you…my Lord."

Lifting a hand, Voldemort set it down on Harry's brow before he told him, "Then rise, my heir, and tell me: how do we beat this last challenge?"

Standing tall, Harry looked past Voldemort before he shrugged as he suggested, "You could just smash it!"

"That would send the Stone to locations unknown, I'm sure Albus thought of that," replied the Dark Lord.

Standing in front of the mirror, Harry frowned as he mused to himself, 'He knows I want to find the stone, but I don't want to use it for my own ends: so how…'

That was when it happened: just as the thought ran through Harry's mind, his eyes widened as he saw his reflection pull the stone from his pocket and, with a wink to Harry, he returned it to his pocket. At the same time, Harry felt a light weight enter his left pocket; dipping his hand into his trouser pocket, he pulled out a small, blood-red stone, the look of which made him feel proud and amused.

"Sometimes it's just that easy," Harry muttered, turning to face the Dark Lord as he asked, "I believe this is yours now, Voldemort?"

Taking the stone from Harry's hand, Voldemort laughed as he held it high, the new heir of the dark sniggering along with him before he turned to face Harry and, with a cold laugh, he added, "Thank you, Harry Potter…for your loyalty."

His hand went to his pocket, but Harry shook his head as he asked, "Oh? Looking for this?"

With that, he drew a long black wand from his own right-hand pocket and, holding it high, he asked, "Did you honestly think I wouldn't see it coming? Here's my _answer_, Voldemort: if you won't make me your heir, then I will lead my own forces and become the most-powerful Dark Lord _ever!_ I tried offering you _your_ greatest wish, but now…I get mine: _Avada Kedavra!_"

With that, the green flash flew from the Dark Lord's wand and, in a scream of pain and fury, Voldemort was destroyed; placing the wand on the corpse, Harry scoffed as he asked, "What? You thought I was born yesterday?"

Then, drawing his wand, Harry shredded the remains of Quirinus Quirrell, leaving nothing to chance that might suggest Voldemort would return.

His task done, Harry picked up the Philosopher's Stone before he mused, "Now…what to do with _you?_"

_**The Silver Trio**_

As Harry returned to the main entranceway, he was unaware of a thick black wraith rising from the mutilated corpse of the body of Quirrell, a pair of red eyes shining from within the mist. As the mist became a snake-like face and a semi-corporeal body that seemed to be mostly smoke and dark magic, the Dark Lord Voldemort sniggered as he looked to where Harry had been.

"Congratulations, Harry Potter," hissed the Dark Lord, his voice like that of death itself, "You passed…and soon, my dear prince…you _shall_ have the throne you desire: I'll see it done."

Then, rising into the air, Voldemort vanished through the roof and disappeared into the night.

**Chapter 11 and it seems that Voldemort did have a hidden agenda after all, but will Harry listen to him when next they meet?**

**Also, what will our hero do with the Stone and how will the Circle take the news of his 'betrayal' by Voldemort?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: It's Harry's twelfth birthday and Lucius organises another 'gathering' to celebrate; plus, Hermione makes a decision that Harry and the others help her cement while Ron hears from his family about what's happened: who will accept it and who will oppose it?**

**Please Read and Review**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Test**_

**Okay, so the challenge **_**did**_** say that Harry had to pledge the loyalty of the Trio to Voldemort, but as one reviewer noted, it didn't mean it had to be that year he accepted it. So, to work around that, I decided that Voldemort would test just how badly Harry wanted power and, as we see, he's willing to use the AK to get it.**

**The question now is, of course: will Harry listen or will he just consider Voldemort an obstacle that needs to be destroyed?**

**What do you think?**


	12. Regencies and Requests

The Silver Trio

**Disclaimer: **SEE FIRST CHAPTER

**Plot: **The Dark Trio Challenge Response: We've all heard of the Golden Trio, haven't we? Saviours and Heroes of the Wizarding World? Well guess what? All those stories? They're lies! Here is the true story of the Trio's rise to power and greatness!

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this one was originally posted in my Den of Delights and, at the time, a lot of you enjoyed it while you also liked the possibility of our heroes going Dark, so here is that story and that situation.

Oh, and as always, if you don't like it, then don't read it.

**Dedication: **I'd like to dedicate this to everyone that reviewed the sample posted in the Den; my recommended reads are _The Trinity of Shadows _by dreamer1293, _Prince of Slytherin Rewrite _by Lord Cartwright and _Of Lies, Deceit and Hidden Personas _by Jessiikaa15; three amazing stories by three creative minds.

**ALSO: If you've enjoyed this story, then go and check out **_**Three against the world**_** by soulmaker: another response to this challenge and a brilliant one at that;**

**Key Pairing: **Harry/Hermione; Ron/Daphne

**Other Pairings: **Draco/Luna; Neville/Tracey;

Normal Speech

'Thought'

/_Parseltongue_/

**Review Answers:**

**StormyFireDragon: I'm glad you enjoyed it, Storm: you might not believe me, but it was actually harder to write than you might think;**

**Daithi4377: Your suggestion of a fake stone intrigued me so I used that for the start of this chapter: thanks for that, my friend;**

**Randver: Yeah, you're not the only one who sees that as this chapter might prove;**

**DragonTamer01: Interesting suggestion;**

"_Did you honestly think I wouldn't see it coming? Here's my answer, Voldemort: if you won't make me your heir, then I will lead my own forces and become the most-powerful Dark Lord ever! I tried offering you your greatest wish, but now…I get mine: Avada Kedavra!"_

_With that, the green flash flew from the Dark Lord's wand and, in a scream of pain and fury, Voldemort was destroyed; placing the wand on the corpse, Harry scoffed as he asked, "What? You thought I was born yesterday?"_

_Then, drawing his wand, Harry shredded the remains of Quirinus Quirrell, leaving nothing to chance that might suggest Voldemort would return._

_His task done, Harry picked up the Philosopher's Stone before he mused, "Now…what to do with you?"_

Chapter 12: Regencies and Requests

As the end of term came around and Harry started to come down off his high from actually using – successfully, he didn't hesitate to add – the very curse that the monster had used to destroy his life, the Silver Prince began to feel like what he'd earned from his victory over the Dark Lord was just _too_ easy.

If Voldemort had really wanted to kill him, then surely he wouldn't have been so naïve as to let Harry disarm him while taking the opportunity to relish in his victory. If the Stone really had stumped the Dark Lord, then surely he would have known that there was no other way to acquire it without a little help.

Plus, though Harry didn't want to think about the reasons for such feelings, but the dark leader of the Circle had a distinct impression that the encounter in the forbidden corridor wasn't the last that he had seen of Voldemort.

For now, he tried to take his mind off of the dilemma that burned away at his consciousness and, instead, he let the events of the end of term pass him by without much trouble. When the points were totalled at the end of the year, Slytherin won the House Cup for a seventh year running while the students were in a state of shock when the Headmaster announced that Professor Quirrell had been forced to retire and that there would be a new Defence Professor in the coming year.

After that, the students returned to their dorms to pack and, as Harry stood alone in his dormitory, his fully-packed trunk and Hedwig's cage waiting for him to take them away from Hogwarts for the summer, the young Slytherin gave a cold smile as he reached into his pocket and withdrew the Philosopher's Stone, its blood-red glow shining in the light.

'A method of immortality,' thought Harry, sniggering to himself as he mused, 'Shame you're not the _real_ Stone.'

With that thought, Harry turned the Stone slightly to the right before he peered through what looked like a fissure in the gemstone's flawless design: as Harry peered into the fissure, he saw only cracked and splintered _glass_ rather than the sparkling gemstone that had meant to be there.

'You came so close, Voldemort,' thought Harry, pocketing the fake stone as he laughed to himself, 'But in the end, the trap claimed you.'

Then, reaching into his trunk, Harry withdrew the _real_ Stone with a cold laugh, his green eyes shining as he remembered how he had come to possess this item: it had been while the rest of the gang snoozed while they waited for Quirrell to make his move. Taking his own initiative, Harry had returned to the third-floor corridor for himself. Whether it was sheer coincidence or just the dark malice that had been radiating off of him, Harry didn't know, but something had forced the trials blocking the stone to submit to his presence, allowing him ease of access to the Mirror room and its prize.

Naturally, Harry suspected that the trap set by the would-be manipulator had involved more than one student and, for reasons he couldn't figure out, Harry wasn't stopped by any of the trials, including the Cerberus, when he'd travelled down there. Instead, he had made it to the room and, realising that the Mirror of Erised showed him his heart's desire, Harry had let one solitary thought fill his mind:

The thought of keeping the future safe from the Dark Lord Voldemort.

Like magic, the Stone had come to him while Harry had then noticed his reflection giving him the same wink from before, though not before he had put a false stone in his pocket, a part of the dark scion wondering if his ties to Hogwarts had something to do with this.

Rather than tell the circle about it, because they would never believe him if they tried, Harry had returned to his room and put the Stone safely in his room before he'd returned to the training room just as Quirrell left and Harry knew that it was time to wake them.

He also knew that he would have to share the secrets of his success with the Circle sooner or later, but that would only happen when Harry was certain that the loyalty of his allies truly belonged to him. He now knew that Hermione belonged to him and that she wouldn't betray him for all the knowledge in the universe: naturally, Ron was also added to the list of the loyal as he had been Harry's faithful and devoted warrior ever since the boy had added him to his family.

Draco still needed a little observing since his Father _was_ a Death Eater and someone that would probably not believe that Harry had taken down Voldemort single-handedly _and_ with the Avada Kedavra Curse. Tracey seemed to be neutral in her loyalties, but she was, at least, part of the circle while Daphne was the same, though she was slowly becoming more-dark than Light.

That just left Neville: their newest member and, in a way, Harry's dark protégé: by swearing his loyalty to Harry no matter what, the boy had earned Harry's respect, but now that the worst had happened and things were progressing, Harry knew that he'd have to find a way to keep a much-closer eye on his new warrior.

After all, as Harry had seen lately thanks to Voldemort's example: loyalty was like flipping a coin.

Sometimes it landed on the side that you wanted it to, but sometimes, it didn't and you were left facing the consequences…

_**The Silver Trio**_

On the train ride back to King's Cross, the Silver Trio sat alone in their compartment, their posture and form much like it had been back on their first day: Harry just leaning against the window with his eyes watching the world go by while Hermione had her head in a book – acquired for her by Harry's 'assistant' Severus Snape following their Christmas 'gathering' at Malfoy Manor – while Ron just watched and waited for a sign of what came next.

As late-afternoon drew in and London drew closer and closer, Harry finally broke the silence as he told the other two, "Draco's told me of another Gathering approaching."

"When?" asked Ron.

"Night of July 30th," explained Harry, earning a raised eyebrow from his friends as he added, "Yes, I know: apparently, Lucius has an announcement to make to the faithful and wishes me to be there as a mix of showing off my new power and as a birthday invitation. Draco and the rest of the circle are going to be there and I've asked Asha to bring Neville when I summon her."

"How will he get away from his grandmother?" asked Hermione, looking over the top of her book as she explained, "From what he's said to us, she watches him like a hawk, even when she's meant to have called it a night."

"I think he has a plan," Harry reasoned, then looking to his two most-devoted allies as he added, "Also, for what it's worth, I'm glad we've been able to keep the promise that we made to one another."

"_Almost_ didn't," Ron scowled, looking to Hermione, but he stopped when Harry cleared his throat.

"No, Ron," Harry argued, "Hermione was entitled to her opinion and, as you all saw, I didn't break nor did I let my will be controlled by that corpse: he thought that he could control me, but I managed to show him who had the power around here. She told you what we discussed in that room and all you need to know now is that I trust her to stay true to our cause and to the loyalty that you and the circle have shown to me."

"I won't fall again, Ron," Hermione insisted, then looking to Harry with a soft smile as she told him, "Like yours, my loyalty now belongs to Harry too: I was led astray because of my thoughts as a Muggleborn and not as a member of the Silver Trio: I realise this now, just like I realised that this is why I questioned your motives that day in Diagon Alley, but…if you can, Harry, I'd like your help."

"How?" asked Harry.

"The more time I spend with my family," explained Hermione, her voice edged by dark determination as she told him, "The more I could risk their ways corrupting me again and making me doubt why you're doing what you do and becoming what you've become. So, I've been thinking about this since that night in the corridor and…if you can do it, I'd…I'd like you to find a way to take me from them and from their world."

"You'd sacrifice your family?" asked Harry, actually surprised as he asked her, "For me?"

"For _us_," Hermione corrected him, her tone as strong as ever as she explained, "What I saw at Christmas terrified me, but it also made me realise that magic can only be known to those in power and that's us, Harry. I shouldn't have to return to Muggles who still think of me as that shy, isolated little bookworm, Hermione Granger: I should stay in our world and remain the dark enchantress that I am thanks to you and the Circle. So please, if you know of a way, then do it!"

Leaning back in his chair, Harry closed his eyes for a moment before he smirked as he told her, "I'll think of something: in the meantime, you'll spend the summer with me at our home in Spinner's End and come with Ron and I to Lucius' Gathering on the eve of my birthday."

Hermione just nodded and, as Harry looked back to the window, he felt a sense of amusement rise up inside him as he reasoned that things were changing and the times were changing with them.

Just like he had hoped since he'd first felt the influence of his dark seed growing inside him…

_**The Silver Trio**_

While Ron and Hermione settled back into his home, Harry stood at the front door of the house, breathing in the scent of home that surrounded him: thanks to Asha's help, it had been easy for Hermione to escape the chance of meeting up with her parents and return to Spinner's End with them and now, as he stood on the porch of his home, Harry knew that he had work to do.

Almost as though the Fates had read his mind, Harry looked down as a low pop announced the arrival of his personal elf, who bowed low as she told him, "Master Harry, Asha's former Master has returned home."

"Take me to him," explained Harry, taking the elf's hand before they both vanished with a pop, reappearing in what looked like a well-kept, finely-furnished study where a high-backed chair revealed the dark hair and pale skin of the man that Harry had hoped to see.

"Hello Harry," Severus Snape remarked, looking over his shoulder as he asked, "How do you like your new home?"

"I thank you for returning it to my family," explained Harry, his eyes narrowed as he told Severus, "However, Severus, I haven't come here for pleasantries: I've come to talk to you about my Father's debt that you owe him."

"Ah," Severus reasoned, "You know about that, do you?"

With a cold smile, Harry sniggered as he told him, "I do _now._"

Severus' eyes widened before he too sniggered as he asked, "And what would you like to know, Harry? Keep in mind that I still cannot tell you everything without jeopardising the…agreement that we have made since last autumn."

"I know," Harry nodded, "But I would like you to…do me a favour, Severus: now this won't completely repay the debt you owe, but it'll go on the way to doing so. You once said that I could come to you if I had a problem, right?"

"Day or night, any time, any reason," replied Severus, quoting the words that he had used those months ago.

"Then tell me," Harry told him, his voice edged by curiosity as he asked, "How would you make it so that someone could disappear without a trace and yet everything else would still look all right to any prying eyes?"

With a thoughtful look, Severus replied, "The Obliviate Spell would be a good start followed by a few choice Compulsions and, if you were really desperate to make the changes stick, a modified Imperius to make sure that they never forgot it. You could also brew the Forgetfulness Draught and the Elixir of Dreams to make everything that _has_ happened seem like faded memories, almost like someone had woken from a dream, but even your skills are not yet at that level, Harry. If you were to give it to anyone, then people would suspect that you had help, so the only thing you could really do is the first option of spell-work."

As Harry committed this information to memory, a part of him trying not to curse Severus for daring to insist that he might be too weak to accomplish the task, the young Slytherin then asked, "And, if the outcome of this task affected one of your Slytherins, am I right in assuming that you, as Head of Slytherin, would claim loco parentis responsibilities for them?"

"Yes," drawled Severus, his eyes on Harry as he asked, "Since we're talking hypothetically here, Harry, would the hypothetical student be you, Mr Weasley or Miss Granger?"

"Hermione," answered Harry, his eyes darkening as he told Severus, "And I won't lie to you, Severus: it's not hypothetical. She desires to escape her Muggle parents and their corruptive influence on thinking of her as the Hermione she was before she met me. Now while I'm not against torment and even wiping them out as you may be aware, she is my friend and wishes only to escape their world without any repercussions."

With a curious eye, Severus asked, "You care about her?"

"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" asked Harry, earning a scoff from the Slytherin Head.

"Yes it does," answered Severus, before he smirked as he added, "Very well, Harry: I will make you the required potions and show you how to give them to the Muggles, but as your Head of House and hers, I must ask that you keep a close eye on Miss Granger…Hermione so that no-one suspects my involvement and tries to sway her."

"They try," growled Harry, his eyes shining like the curse he had used for the first time, "And they'll die!"

_**The Silver Trio**_

One week after Harry's talk with Severus, the Silver Trio were relaxing quietly in the lounge of their new home when, just as Harry was about to go and grab a drink, a regal-looking owl flew through the window and dropped a letter into Ron's lap before it flew out once more.

"What was that?" asked Harry, a part of him wondering who else would know about his new address and that of his trio.

"That was Mercury, Charlie's owl," explained Ron, holding up the letter as he reasoned, "Maybe they're finally ready to tell me what he and Bill have to say about my disbanding from the family."

Opening the letter, Ron watched as Harry and Hermione moved closer to him so that all three could read the information:

_Ron,_

_I know that you're probably expecting me to be angry with you, but, in reality, I would like to say that I am over the bloody moon that someone else other than Bill and I have managed to tell that controlling, smothering old nanny goat how we want to live our lives. When we received the letter from Mum saying that you had become a Slytherin, we were shocked, but Bill reminded me of why we had done what we had done and I knew that I couldn't fault you._

_Then we hear how Mum strikes Harry Potter for defending you and how he had Dad surrender his rights to your life in satisfaction and we knew that you were safe with him…oh, hang on…_

Suddenly, the style of writing changed and Harry read on with his friend by his side:

_**Hey Ron, Bill here: sorry, Charlie contacted me about what we should say that wouldn't sound too patronising. Anyway, he's right that we agree that you're safe and, clearly, you're willing to give Mum the finger to make sure that she gets the message, so you're okay with us.**_

_**I also know that the Twins won't turn on you either, though Mum may be trying to convince Ginny of the 'old stories' she told her as a child as being true and, given that she's about to come up to Hogwarts this fall, that could mean trouble for you. As your interim guardian, Harry will not allow anyone or anything to threaten him when he clearly has the balls to take on everything that stands in his way.**_

_**That is why, and I'm speaking directly to Harry here, but that's why I feel it's only right to tell you, Heir Regent Harry James Potter that, as of next summer – your thirteenth birthday – you will be able to claim your legacy as Lord Potter and, with that power under your belt, Ron will be able to disinherit himself as a Weasley and become a Potter fully. As his brother, I would ask that you give him this option and consider the options available to you too.**_

_**You stand on your own two feet in this world, Regent Potter, let no man call themselves your better.**_

_Okay, I'm back, so now that you know where we stand, I want you and Harry to know that you have allies in these two Weasleys, though we won't pick sides. We'll help you if we can, but if you choose to side with the Light or even the Dark, then we will be merely assistants…resources if you will for you to use when you need us, but we are NOT your servants or allies._

_We do this merely out of respect for what you, Harry James Potter, have done for our brother._

_Good luck Ron_

_**Good luck, Harry**_

_All our love and respect_

_**Bill and **__Charlie_

"Looks like things are really changing," muttered Harry, looking to the part about him claiming his legacy as he added, "Now you have your answer, Ron."

"Doesn't change anything," Ron told him, turning to his friend as he explained, "If you do it next year, I would be honoured to cast off my shackles once and for all and become a Potter fully…I mean…"

He indicated his darkened hairstyle and freckle-less face as he added, "I've already got the looks and protections."

"I'll think about it," mused Harry, before he left Ron and Hermione alone as he went to get his drink.

**Chapter 12 and Harry has been given yet another option to further his power, but what will he do as the year goes on?**

**Also, with her life now hers once again, how will Hermione continue her descent into the dark while proving herself to Harry and the Circle?**

**Keep Reading to Find Out**

**Next Chapter: It's Harry's twelfth birthday and Lucius organises another 'gathering' to celebrate, but an acquaintance of an old enemy desires revenge while Harry learns of Lucius' big announcement and there's a shocking surprise for the Trio as the announcement is made…**

**Please Read and Review**


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